Dental system is 'failing' Cambridgeshire patients says MP

Ian Sollom, MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire, said the system was “failing patients” after a recent health survey he carried out found nearly half of respondents were not registered with an NHS dentist.

Around 50% also said they had been forced to pay for private dental care because they could not get NHS treatment.

He said he had been contacted by constituents describing how they had been left to endure painful dental problems because they could not afford private fees.

MP Ian Sollom has warned about dental services being in crisis after carrying out a health survey of his constituents. (Image: Ian Sollom)

Others reported vulnerable and disabled relatives travelling many miles for appointments because they were unable to register with a local dentist.

Pregnant women – who are entitled to free NHS dental care – told him they were unable to find practices taking on NHS patients.

Families also described driving long distances to out‑of‑area dentists during school hours, meaning children were missing lessons for basic treatment.

The concerns come against a backdrop of worsening oral health nationally. An Adult Oral Health Survey published in January found 41% of adults now have rotten teeth, a rise of almost half since the last survey in 2009.

Mr Sollom said local dentists providing NHS care had also raised serious concerns with him about the pressures they are under.

They warned that NHS dental contracts are financially and operationally “unviable”, leaving them losing money on NHS work and having to subsidise it with private income.

Dentists highlighted a slow bureaucratic approval process for newly qualified dentists, which they say delays recruits from starting work and adds to workforce shortages.

They also pointed to complex exams and prolonged delays for overseas‑qualified dentists, as well as rising costs for materials, laboratory services and national insurance contributions for staff.

Nationally, the British Dental Association (BDA) estimates private practice subsidises NHS dentistry by around £300–£400m a year.

It says a typical NHS dentist loses £42.60 for every denture they fit and £7.69 for every new patient examination they carry out.

Recent government changes to the NHS dental contract, which have just come into force, are welcome but fall far short of what is needed, Mr Sollom said.

Without fundamental reform or new investment, he warned, dentists would continue to lose money treating NHS patients, making it ever harder to sustain NHS provision.

He said: “Some of the stories I have heard from local people are really shocking – especially children and vulnerable people going without vital treatment.

“The NHS dental services are in crisis, with so many people unable to access the care and treatment they need, which often leads to much worse problems down the line.

"It’s especially worrying to hear how many children are suffering from tooth decay and extractions at such a young age – something that can be prevented with early intervention.”

Criticising the Government’s timetable, he added: “The Government has a plan to reform dental services by 2035, but this is simply too slow and doesn’t include any new investment.

"It must be more ambitious in its reform of the NHS contracts and ensure a sustainably funded, patient‑centred contract that has prevention and public health at its core.”

Mr Sollom also raised concerns that the Government’s recently launched Women’s Health Strategy “makes no mention of dental care at all”, describing this as “a major oversight” which must be addressed.

He said he would continue to press ministers for change and work with local dentists and the BDA to push for reform.

In the meantime, he urged anyone experiencing problems with dental services in his constituency to get in touch with him so he can take up their case.

What are your experiences of NHS dentist treatment? Have you managed to find an NHS dentist, or have you got a dental horror story to tell? Let us know in the comments.