New data reveals extent of UK ‘dental deserts’
New data has revealed the extent of ‘dental deserts’ in the UK.
In some parts of England, there is only one dentist for over 2,000 patients. Statistics from NHS Digital show that in the worst-affected regions, including North Lincolnshire, there is just 1 dentist per 3,199 patients. Other areas that have been described as ‘dental deserts’ include the East Riding of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Waveney, Ipswich and East Suffolk and Northamptonshire. In all these regions, the ratio is at least 1: 2,200 patients.
The demand for dental treatment is so much higher than the supply in North Lincolnshire that if an NHS dentist was to provide a check-up for every patient once per year, they would have to work 9 hours per day every day of the year with no holidays or breaks.
NHS Digital figures also showed that 24,272 dentists provided NHS dental treatment in England in the 12-month period leading up to April 2022. This represents an increase of 2.3% from 2021 but is still lower than rates before the pandemic.
In the last 12-month period before the pandemic hit, 58.7% of children saw a dentist. Up to the end of March 2022, only 44.8% of children were treated by dentists. In June 2022, this figure rose slightly to 46.2% but it remains significantly lower than pre-pandemic levels, despite the lifting of Covid restrictions.
NHS figures for adults have also fallen dramatically. The statistics for before the pandemic suggest that around 50% of adults saw a dentist every year. This figure decreased to 36% in June 2022.
There has been a small increase in the number of NHS dentists but the ratio of dentists to patients has fallen in many areas, including Ipswich and East Suffolk, where the number has fallen by over 15%.
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