Flaws in provision

A survey of 436 dentists found that:

The survey shows that many patients are having teeth extracted which could be saved by root canal treatment. The BES argues that well executed root canal treatment relieves severe dental pain and is extremely cost effective in the long term, especially taking into account the current pressure on the critical care services.

While dentists are trained to deliver routine endodontic treatment, the survey revealed many general dental practitioners are rightly hesitant to perform more complex procedures outside their training but do not have more specialized practitioners to refer patients in the NHS.

Currently there is no funding available for dentists to enhance their endodontic skills through training which would ensure they can undertake more complicated procedures which would provide patients with the best standard of care. Any additional training has to be financed by dentists themselves, and in the current economic climate, the survey shows this can act as a significant deterrent.