Dentists warn that clearing NHS backlogs could take years
Dentists have warned that it could take several years to clear NHS dental backlogs after millions of appointments were lost during the pandemic.
When Covid-19 first hit the UK in early 2020, dental practices closed between March and June. Since clinics reopened, there have been strict protocols in place to reduce the risk of infection, contributing to millions of appointments being cancelled or postponed. With limits on patient numbers, dental teams were forced to prioritise urgent cases. In total, more than 42 million appointments were lost.
Covid-19 measures are not the only contributing factor to lengthy waiting times for NHS treatment. Since the start of the pandemic, over 3,000 dentists have left the NHS and many practices have reduced NHS provision. Across the country, patients are experiencing difficulties in getting appointments, with some areas described as ‘dental deserts.’
The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned that the current situation represents the “worst recruitment and retention crisis” in dentistry since the establishment of the NHS. The body blamed successive governments for failures related to the NHS dental contract and called for urgent funding and contract adjustments to save NHS dentistry.
The government has injected an extra £50 million to fund 350,000 appointments to try to tackle backlogs, but studies suggest that it is increasingly difficult to access NHS dental services. Thousands of dentists have switched to private care and many more may follow suit in the coming months.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care stressed that ministers and NHS bosses were working with the sector to identify solutions.
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