Half Of Adults In Wales Have Not Seen A Dentist For 2 Years
A survey has revealed that almost half of adult patients in Wales have not seen an NHS dentist for at least 2 years.
The latest statistics from the Welsh Government show that 48 per cent of Welsh adults did not visit their dentist in the two year period leading up to the 31st December 2013, meaning that almost half of the population failed to see an NHS dentist. The advice from dentists is to attend a dental check-up every 6 months, yet a large proportion of patients have not heeded this advice.
In response to the figures, opposition parties have called for the government to do more to encourage patients to see their dentist on a regular basis and parties believe that the government should do more to improve access to NHS dental care. Elin Jones, health spokeswoman for Plaid Cymru, said that the figures highlight a need for more dentists and better access to dental services, while the Liberal Democrats accused the government of overlooking dental care in Wales.
Despite the negative figures, the government is keen to highlight that major improvements have been made in the last two years. According to the recent figures, 34,000 more people saw a dentist in the two year period leading up to the end of 2013 compared to the previous 24 month period.
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