Finding an NHS dentist can be a nightmare (Image: Getty)
The UK city with the worst access to an NHS dentist has been revealed, with one in four residents bemoaning that it is nearly impossible to get an appointment. The survey of 2,000 people by all-in-one-banking app thinkmoney investigated the access Britons claim they have – or don’t have—to NHS dental appointments in their home cities.
Worst was the south-west city of Bristol where 23% said they were unable to get an NHS appointment when they wanted and six per cent said they had to resort to DIY dentistry as a result. The UK’s second biggest ‘dental desert’ was Cardiff (18%), followed by Stoke (12%) and Plymouth (12%).
The most common DIY dentistry procedures in Bristol were using clove oil to numb the pain (60%) and gluing a crown or filling (60%).
One in three had used a sharp tool to drain an abscess, and one in five (20%) said they had pulled out a tooth using pliers.
Consumer expert at thinkmoney Vix Leyton said that getting an NHS dentist appointment is a “postcode lottery.”
She said: “For some households, where you live now plays a huge role in whether you can get basic healthcare, and that is a difficult position to be in when you are already dealing with pain.
“DIY dentistry is not something people choose lightly.
“When a quarter of residents in one city say they cannot get an NHS appointment, and some feel forced to take matters into their own hands, that points to a system under real pressure.
“People are not trying to cut corners, they are trying to cope.
“No one should feel they have to reach for home remedies because they cannot get seen. That is not just a health issue, it is a sign that access and affordability are becoming barriers to care.”
Plymouth takes the crown of the UK’s DIY dentistry capital, with one in seven (14%) people saying they had to take matters into their own hands because they couldn’t get an NHS appointment.
Glasgow was second (11%) and Manchester third (10%).
When asked why they acted in such an extreme way, a third (33%) said the cost of private care was too high, and 30% said they could not get an NHS appointment.
Meanwhile, more than a quarter (28%) of Brits say they’ve suffered a dental emergency that’s cost them a significant sum of money, with the average cost of a tooth crisis stinging us for £1,226.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock (Image: Getty)
Vix added: “One of the biggest risks with dental problems is leaving them too long because you are worried about the cost or cannot find an appointment.
“What starts as a manageable issue can quickly turn into a much more serious and expensive one, which is why early treatment is usually the most affordable option in the long run.”
“Even if NHS access is limited in your area, it is still worth speaking to a dental practice about your options.
“Many dentists can prioritise urgent cases, offer staged treatment, or spread the cost through payment plans. The important thing is not to struggle in silence or try to fix the problem yourself.”
The figures come as the Department of Health revealed in April that thousands more dentists will be available to see patients, opening up appointments across the country by boosting places on two professional registration exams.
As it stands, thousands of fully qualified dentists from overseas who are often already living in the UK are unable to practise because of limited exam capacity.
In a huge boost for the dental workforce, a total of 2,400 more overseas-trained dentists, many of whom are already living in this country and waiting for the opportunity to help, could be registered annually from 2028 to 2029.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “No one in the 21st century should be left in a situation where they cannot access a dentist.
“That is why today’s announcement is crucial, as training more dentists and allowing greater numbers of those qualified overseas to practise will put more patients in dental chairs, receiving care when they need it most.
“These investments show this government is serious about rebuilding NHS dentistry and laying the foundations to make it fit for the future.”
Dr Katie Petty-Saphon, Chief Executive of the Dental Schools Council, said: ”We are pleased that the government has recognised the urgent need to grow the dental workforce at a time when access to NHS oral healthcare remains a significant challenge for many patients.
“Each year, dental schools are forced to turn away talented applicants who show great potential and this increase will allow more future NHS dentists to be admitted.”
Bristol residents claimed their city was the worst for dentists (Image: Getty)
Top 10 UK cities where people said they were unable to access NHS dentists:
Newcastle upon Tyne — 10%
Manchester — 9%
The DIY dentistry capitals of the UK:
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
