A petition launched by the Daily Mirror, the British Dental Association (BDA), and campaigning group 38 Degrees has been handed to the Department of Health and Social Care, demanding proper funding for NHS dentistry. The petition garnered 120,632 signatures after highlighting that the current £3 billion annual budget for dentistry in England is sufficient for only half the population to access a dentist when needed. Per capita, Westminster invests nearly half as much in dental services for England as devolved administrations do for other UK nations.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: “We’re yet to see a penny of new investment to stop the queues outside practices and end horrific Victorian scenes. Access and cost of living crises are colliding and government needs to step up. Failure to commit funding here will heap new burdens on hard-pressed families who have no options. Ministers need to show they are offering a future for NHS and not DIY dentistry.”
The oral health crisis in England means a quarter of the adult population—14 million people—have an “unmet need” for dentistry. A decade of cuts has led most dentists to stop taking on new adult patients, forcing some to resort to extracting their own teeth. Monica Finlay, 68, from West Ham, east London, said: “Having been unable to find an NHS dentist for years, I endured the agony of losing several teeth at home. They became so loose I had to pull them out myself. Two weeks ago I had to scrape money together to go privately and had to have seven teeth removed. Dentistry shouldn't be a luxury, only for those who can afford it, it should be accessible for all who need it.”
Plans are underway to reform the “flawed” NHS dental payment contract, which pays dentists the same regardless of the number of fillings needed, causing an exodus to the private sector. However, reform depends on overall funding. Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, said: “The Government needs to properly fund NHS dentistry right now. Millions of people are going without access to affordable dental care, often living with pain and anxiety. Reforms, promises and ambitions are one thing but, unless the Government puts its money where its mouth is, millions of people across the UK will continue suffering.”
The total budget for NHS dentistry in England has remained at around £3 billion since 2010, not keeping pace with inflation or population growth. The BDA estimates this represents a real-terms cut of over a third. Rises in patient charges have masked cuts of £20 million to government funding, with direct government contribution now around £2.2 billion. For example, the charge for dentures has increased by £128 since 2010, with a pair now costing £327.
