Two thirds of rural Kent residents do not see a dentist regularly
New figures have suggested that only a third of people living in rural Kent see a dentist on a regular basis.
Steven Ingram, director of NHS West Kent, said there was a crisis in rural areas of Kent, where patients were not being provided with the service they expect. Figures showed that only 37.7 percent of people in Tonbridge and Malling see a dentist and results were even lower in Ightham and Wrotham. The figures are well below the national target of 54 percent and it seems unlikely that improvements will be made in time to reach the government target by March next year.
Mr Ingram said there were no plans to invest in dental services in rural areas this financial year; however, he said that NHS Kent would make plans to improve services and invest money in the new financial year.
David Hughes, chief executive of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said that more needed to be done to encourage dentists to offer NHS places and Sarah Gillender, practice manager at Fourways Dental Surgery in Borough Green, called for a reduction in red tape to encourage more dentists to work for the NHS.
In the meantime, residents from rural areas are faced with lengthy journeys to Maidstone and Sevenoaks.
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