Penzance patients waiting 12 months to see a dentist

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Patients in Penzance are waiting a year to see a dentist, new research has revealed. 

Cornwall Live recently reported that some patients had routine check-ups cancelled, only to be informed that the next available appointment was August 2020. The latest NHS data also shows that there are no practices located within a 120-mile radius of the town taking on new adult NHS patients. 

Chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, Dave Cottam, said that being told that the next appointment was a year away was “nothing short of an insult” especially for patients who require treatment for issues like gum disease or a broken tooth. Mr Cottam described the situation as the latest example of the “crisis facing NHS dentistry” and accused the government of failing to provide the necessary funding to enable all patients to access NHS services. 

The BDA claims that a recruitment crisis is hitting practices hard, with many unable to provide additional NHS places because they can’t find the staff to provide treatment. There is a shortage of dentists, and the situation could get worse before it gets better, with many NHS dentists set to retire or go private in the next 5 years. 

Speaking to Cornwall Live, Raphael Rashid, regional operations director for Bupa Dental Care, said that the company was doing everything to ramp up recruitment efforts in a bid to create more NHS places and reduce waiting times. Mr Rashid also apologised to patients who were struggling to get appointments or register with a practice, and he reassured them that Bupa is working with the NHS to identify and implement solutions.

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