Concerns raised as urgent dental service closes in Kentish Town

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Concerns have been raised after it was revealed that an urgent dental service based in Kentish Town, London, will close down in March.

Dentists are worried that the closure of the A and E style department for dental patients will pile more pressure on local hospitals, as the capital will only have two emergency care centres for patients with urgent dental needs. The Kentish Town service provided immediate relief for walk-in patients who suffered from issues such as cracked teeth and severe pain caused by abscesses.

Local dentists are worried that shutting down the service will result in more patients attending departments across the city, which are already struggling to cope with the demand for treatment. Dental patients also require specialist care, which isn’t available at A and E departments. Often, doctors can treat pain, but they cannot treat the underlying problem, and patients still need to see a dentist after they have been to hospital.

NHS England has confirmed that the service will cease operations at the end of March, leaving more than 8 million residents with access to only two walk-in emergency dental services.

Last year, more than 5,000 people used the centre, and the British Dental Association has accused the NHS of letting people down and creating a “postcode lottery.” Patients who require urgent treatment have been advised to call NHS 111 or to make an appointment with their regular dentist.

Dr Francesca Silman, a local doctor, said that the decision was “irresponsible” and suggested that closing the walk-in service would only serve to increase pressure on local GP surgeries and A&E departments, both of which are already under considerable strain.

A spokeswoman for NHS England said that the service had been reviewed, and there were sufficient dental services in the area to continue providing emergency dental care for those who require it.

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