Teignmouth dental practice to stop treating NHS patients
A Teignmouth dental practice is stopping NHS services.
The team at Salisbury Villa Dental Surgery has confirmed that NHS services will no longer be available from November. In a statement, representatives suggested that the practice could not provide the services NHS patients require.
The news has caused widespread concern among patients, some of whom have indicated that they were pushed to sign up for private dental care. One patient who spoke to local reporters said they had received “extremely good care” from NHS dentists at the practice for over a decade and described the timing as “very bad” with prices increasing and many people already struggling to cover bills.
The practice is one of many switching to private dentistry and stopping NHS services. Across the country, clinics are cutting down on NHS work, making it increasingly difficult for patients to make appointments. According to the British Dental Association, around 3,000 dentists have left the NHS since 2020. This includes those who have retired or changed jobs, as well as those who have gone private.
Patients who were registered with Salisbury Villa Dental Surgery have been offered a choice between seeking an alternative NHS provider, opting for pay-as-you-go private treatment and signing up for a private care plan at a cost of £18.50 per month.
The statement on the practice website confirmed that NHS care will not be available from November 1st and the focus would shift to private dental plans, which are designed to make private care more affordable. The team stressed that it had not been an easy decision and explained that it was no longer possible to provide the best standards of care “working under the constraints of the NHS.”
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