The ‘NHS England GP Patient Survey 2024’ has revealed the extent of the NHS dental crisis in England.
Analysis of the survey conducted among patients aged 16 or over registered with a GP practice in England discovered a widespread lack of availability of NHS dental services.
The analysis by Broadstone, an independent employee benefits and insurance consultancy, found that nearly one-in-four (24 per cent) people, or an estimated 6.2m people, who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the last two years could not.
When this group were asked why they failed to get one, the majority (42 per cent) said that the dentist was not taking new patients and a third (36 per cent) said there were no appointments available.
Additionally, three in 10 patients (28 per cent) had never tried to get an NHS dental appointment while 20 per cent last tried to get an appointment more than two years ago.
When explaining their reasoning, the most common answer was that patients preferred going to a private dentist (27 per cent) with a quarter (25 per cent) stating that they didn’t think they would be able to get an appointment.
Broadstone said employers are being forced to integrate oral health into employee benefits offerings due to a lack of dentists.
The survey follows Wes Streeting, the secretary of state for health and social care, announcing a major independent investigation into the performance of the NHS.
Brett Hill, head of health and protection at Broadstone, said, “As a new Labour administration takes power, these figures are yet another illustration of the crisis in public access to crucial primary care services like dentistry.
“Oral health is a key pillar of general health with dental problems posing a risk to wider health, from loss of sleep and heightened physical and mental stress to increasing the likelihood of more severe conditions like cardiovascular disease.
“Not only can this create severe pain and anxiety on a daily basis, but it can also threaten people’s ability to work productively, particularly if issues are left undiagnosed and untreated.”
Wes has also been discussing with the British Dental Association a plan to deliver 700,000 extra emergency dentistry appointments and reform the existing dental contract.
Brett added, “Given the alarming proportion of people who are trying to receive dental care and failing, it’s no wonder that we are seeing individuals increasingly opt for private dental services.
“With ‘dental deserts’ becoming more common and a surge in demand for private dental care, employers are increasingly incorporating dental benefits within their healthcare benefits strategy.
“Of those businesses that are yet to do so, over a third (34 per cent) are either considering or definitely introducing dental insurance over the next three years according to our latest ‘Employee Benefits Survey’, demonstrating that demand is only likely to grow.
“While Wes Streeting has confirmed an independent investigation into the NHS, recognising the key role that businesses can play in alleviating pressures on NHS services and introducing incentives for employers to expand their efforts to sustain the health of their staff, would be a major step forward in improving the health of the UK workforce, and the UK economy.”