Half of Welsh Dental Patients have not had a Check-Up for 2 Years
It has recently been revealed that almost half of Welsh dental patients have not visited a dentist over the course of the last 24 months.
New figures released by the Welsh Government revealed that only 55.7 percent of people visited their dentist over the last two years. Studies implied that nearly half have not had a check-up for more than two years, despite recommendations from dentists to attend check-ups every 6 to 12 months.
Despite the fall in attendance, figures showed that there was an increase of 1.8 per cent in the number of procedures carried out between April 2011 and March 2012.
Figures also revealed an increase in the number of NHS dentists working within Wales. Numbers have increased by 0.8 percent to 1,360 with a ratio of 4.5 dentists per 10,000 people.
Hygienist Alison Lowe, from Cardiff, stated that access may still be a problem for some people but cost is the major barrier, with many choosing to avoid dentist, as they cannot afford to pay for treatment.
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