Dental places in short supply in Cornwall as 30,000 fewer adults have a dentist
There is a severe shortage of dental places in Cornwall, according to a new report.
Research carried out by the NHS for Cornwall Council shows that the number of adults who have a dentist has fallen by 30,000 in just six months. In June 2021, 188,800 adults had an NHS dentist compared with 155,985 in December 2021.
There have been improvements in the county in terms of child places, but the proportion of children who have access to an NHS dentist is still below the national average. Currently, 40.9% of children in Cornwall have an NHS dentist. The national average is 42.5%.
The findings of the report will be presented to Cornwall Council’s health and adult social care overview and scrutiny committee at a meeting on the 8th June.
The report highlighted worsening access issues, with 30,000 fewer adults now able to access NHS dental services. The findings also indicate that in February 2022, more than 37,000 people were on waiting lists. The number of people on a waiting list for a dental place increased by more than 4,600 between January 2021 and February 2022. During the same time period, 1,183 people were allocated a dentist.
One of the main obstacles facing commissioners in Cornwall is difficulties filling vacancies and finding dentists who want to relocate to the South West. Moving to Cornwall is “viewed as a lifestyle choice,” the report states, and most young dentists are eager to work in cities and large towns in other parts of the country.
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