Dorset Watchdog Concerned as Half of County’s Children Fail to See a Dentist

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A health watchdog in Dorset has raised concerns after statistics revealed that half of the county’s children didn’t see a dentist last year.

Figures from NHS Digital suggest that nationally, almost half of children didn’t attend a routine dental check-up in the 12 month period leading to June 2016. The statistics have been described as a “national embarrassment” by the British Dental Association and “deeply worrying” by Healthwatch Dorset.

Dentists recommend six monthly checks for children aged over 12 months old, however figures from the NHS show that only 52 percent of children in Dorset didn’t see a dentist between June 2016 and June 2016.

Healthwatch Dorset’s chairperson, Joyce Guest, suggested that there are several possible reasons why uptake is so low. Some people may have problems accessing dental services, while others may be confused about NHS dental fees. Parents are urged to take advantage of NHS care in their local area and are advised that NHS treatment is available free of charge for children.

NHS Digital figures also suggested that adult patients in the area are missing out on routine dental checks. Despite advice from dentists to attend a check-up every 6-24 months, only 45 percent of adults in Dorset saw a dentist in the same 12 month period.

Henrik Overgaard-Nielsen from the British Dental Association called on the government to act to improve NHS dental services and tackle the increasingly alarming issue of childhood decay.

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