The number of adults seen by NHS dentists within recommended timeframes decreased by 9.5 per cent in June 2022 against the previous year, a report published by NHS Digital has shown.
16.4m adults in England were seen for NHS dental treatment in the 24 months up to June 2022, according to NHS Dental Statistics, England 2021-221.
This is a reduction of 9.5 per cent compared to the 24 months up to June 2021, when 18.1m adults were seen. It is a reduction of 25.3 per cent compared to the 24 months up to June 2019, when 22.0m adults were seen.
The report also shows that 5.6m children were seen in the 12 months up to June 20224. This is an increase of 42.1 per cent compared to the 12 months up to June 2021 when 3.9m were seen.
When comparing against the 12 months up to June 2019, the report shows a decrease of 20.2 per cent, with 7.0m children seen.
In 2021-22, 26.4m courses of treatment were delivered by NHS dentists. This is an increase of 120.0 per cent compared to the number delivered in 2020-21, which was 12.0m. It is a decrease of 33.6 per cent compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 39.7m.
In addition, 3.8m urgent courses of treatment were delivered in 2021-22. This is an increase of 5.7 per cent compared to the number delivered in 2020-21 and an increase of 4.5 per cent compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 3.6m.
The report contains information about dental activity including patients treated by NHS dentists and the number of patients seen within the maximum recommended gap between appointments.
Dental practices were instructed to close for routine care and provide only urgent treatment on March 25, 2020, as part of Covid-19 restrictions. As a result, the most recent reporting period for which NHS Dental Statistics are unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic was 2018-19. Comparisons against this period, as well as 2020-21, are made in the report.
Other data in the report includes:
- The types of treatment provided
- The number of dentists performing NHS activity per 100,000 of population
Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association said, “What we’re seeing isn’t a recovery, but a service on its last legs.
“The Government will be fooling itself, and millions of patients, if it attempts to put a gloss on these figures.
“NHS dentistry is lightyears away from where it needs to be. Unless ministers step up and deliver much-needed reform and decent funding, this will remain the new normal.”