Whitstable dental practice to take on 2,000 more patients
A dental practice in Whitstable is taking on 2,000 more patients to cope with rising demand for NHS dental services.
Chestfield Dental Practice is run by Banning Dental Group, a private firm, but it offers a mixture of NHS and private care for patients. The Chestfield Road practice is increasing its current NHS capacity by 50% to provide care for 2,000 more patients in the area.
The team is taking on extra patients to meet rising demand, with many residents struggling to find NHS places in and around Whitstable. Many dentists have left the NHS and practices have switched to private care. After the pandemic, there has also been a sharp increase in the number of patients wanting to see a dentist. Since 2020, more than 43 million dental appointments have been lost due to practice closures and reduced capacities.
The latest figures suggest that 90% of practices in England are currently closed to new NHS patients and there are fears that the situation could get worse. Surveys indicate that more dentists could leave the NHS in the coming months. Research shows that in some parts of the UK, patients have been advised that waiting times could reach up to three years.
Patients who are keen to join the practice have been advised to contact reception or visit the website here.
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