The UK is facing an escalating dental crisis, with 'dental deserts' emerging across the country and forcing hundreds of thousands of patients to seek treatment in hospital emergency departments. According to the British Dental Association, 90% of dentists are not accepting new NHS adult patients, leaving many without access to routine care.
Tooth decay is now the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to 17 in England. Between April 2022 and May 2023, 30,000 children and over 70,000 adults were admitted to A&E with dental problems. A 2023 survey found that nearly four out of five school nurses and dentists had observed higher rates of tooth decay.
Patients describe desperate experiences. One man, Paul, spent five hours in agony at Exeter A&E after an infected impacted molar, requiring a two-night hospital stay. Another patient, Lucy, paid £400 for an extraction because she could not afford a £500 filling, and her children remain without a dentist.
The problem is particularly acute in regions such as Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk, Cumbria and much of Wales, where no dentists are taking new NHS patients. Oral cancer, often detected during routine check-ups, has risen by 46% in the past decade. There are also worrying reports of people resorting to 'DIY dentistry', with some researching dental pliers online to extract their own teeth.
NHS Confederation chief executive Matthew Taylor said: 'Accident and emergency departments are overflowing with people in severe dental distress.' The crisis shows no signs of abating, with demand for emergency care continuing to soar.
