Fears for dental patients in Cornwall, as some wait up to nine years for an appointment
There are mounting fears for dental patients in Cornwall, with some waiting up to nine years for an appointment.
Statistics suggest that there were over 4,300 people on waiting lists in the county in February 2020, but this number is likely to be a lot bigger now due to the effects of the pandemic.
Numerous people have contacted local papers and shared stories on social media detailing problems with accessing dental services, with several saying they have waited up to nine years to see a dentist.
On a Facebook thread, users commented about the situation, with many saying they had been taken off NHS lists because practices have gone private. Some said the waiting list will mean that they won’t see a dentist for at least five years and numerous others said they had already been on a waiting list for at least four years.
Parents also suggested that they are finding it difficult to get appointments for their children. Cornwall resident, Mark Milton, said that he has been on a waiting list for three years since moving to the county and his daughter, who is 11, requires urgent treatment.
Mark calls regularly to get an appointment for her, but every time, he is told there are none available. People in the area, he said, are being forced to choose between paying for private dentistry and travelling long distances, sometimes hundreds of miles, to see a dentist.
The main cause of access issues in Cornwall is a shortage of dentists, which means that practices are struggling to fill vacancies. The pandemic has also caused widespread disruption to services, creating significant backlogs.
For more news click here.
Join this Discussion