NHS dentistry continues to struggle in North Wales

A poll of over 2,000 people conducted on behalf of the Liberal Democrats recently found that 22 percent of Welsh people were unable to get an NHS dentist appointment in the last year. 

The lack of appointments has led to many resulting in DIY dentistry. 

With large waiting lists and a concerning decrease in the number of dentists in the region, there have been plenty of calls on the Welsh Government to make a change. 

Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said: “It is now or never to save our NHS from a winter of crisis that will put patients at risk. This heartbreaking rise in DIY dentistry is further evidence that this Government simply doesn’t care about our vital local health services. It is a national scandal that people are forced to pull their own teeth out because our public health services have been starved of funding."

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Sam Rowlands, MS for North Wales has reiterated a call for the Welsh Government to do more to improve dental services in North Wales.

He said: “I make no apologies for continuing to raise this issue as I am still receiving emails from constituents contacting me regarding their difficulties in accessing NHS dentists in my region.

“Years of chronic underfunding and lack of planning has led to this problem and people are being forced to pay thousands to go privately or take extreme measures themselves.

“It is about time the Welsh Government took urgent access to improve access to dentistry in North Wales."

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Dentistry issues are a cause for concern in Wrexham and Flintshire too, with local MPs expressing their concerns on the matter. 

Delyn MP Rob Roberts admitted the lack of dentists in the region was a worry for his constituents. 

While Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton believes her constituents deserve better healthcare. 

She said: "Sadly, constituents failing to access dentist appointments in Wrexham is nothing new. Since my election in 2019, I have been inundated with complaints from residents over access to dentist appointments.

"For two years I have been asking the Welsh Government for a plan on how they will address the backlogs and lengthy waiting times. 

"I will continue to call on the Welsh Government to outline a clear plan of how they will reform Wales’s failing NHS dentist practices so that Wrexham residents receive the healthcare they deserve."

Welsh Government said that those in need of emergency dental care should contact 111 and only seek treatment from a qualified dentist. 

A spokesperson added: “We are working on system reform and working with the dental profession to improve access, experience and quality of dental care. Through a personalised care plan, dentists will be able to extend the recall interval from the traditional 6-month review, which will create additional capacity for patients requiring urgent care.

“New patients may have to wait a little longer for routine dental care as dentists work through the backlog from the pandemic and implement the dental reform."