THE GOVERNMENT has announced that nearly 500 more dentists across England are now accepting NHS patients.
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that it was worked to get hundreds more dentists accepting adult NHS patients compared to January.
They made the announcement via a Twitter (now X) post, which also included an interactive map of which dentists would be accepting patients.
Among them are three dentist surgeries in Reading, and one in Woodley; MyDentist, The Meadway; InspireDental in central Reading; Vesta Dental Care, also in Central Reading, and Loddon Bridge Dentist in Woodley.
The announcement follows continued pressure on dentists in the UK, with an acute shortage of surgeries available to NHS patients, as capacity is severely limited.
Chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee Shawn Carlwood described the situation as an “NHS dentistry crisis.”
It is thought that around 12 million people are unable to access NHS dental care but want it, equivalent to around one in four.
It has also led the BDA to see more patients carrying out “DIY” dentistry, including removal and filling of their own teeth.
Mr Carlwood explained that dentists are struggling to recruit and retain dentists in NHS practises, making delivery of healthcare increasingly difficult.
Welsh dentists set to see a price hike amid a widespread lack of available appointments.
Dentists in Wales saw a price hike last week, which The British Dental Association said was likely the biggest in the history of the NHS.
Check-ups rose in Wales from under £15 to £20, fillings to £60, and dentures to £260– a rise of more than £50, while urgent care has more than doubled from £14.70 to £30.
An interactive map showing which dentists are accepting adult patients on the NHS is available via: nhsdentists.bathdata.org
