Your views on dental services in Rutland

To understand peoples’ recent experiences of accessing NHS dental care, Healthwatch Rutland used an online quick poll to seek a snapshot of service-user opinions. This report details the responses they received.

• There were many comments from people saying they had no option but to use unaffordable or expensive private dental care. Some dentists told patients they were accepting only private patients for urgent or emergency cases
• 26% of respondents said that no one in their household regularly visits a dentist
• 41% of respondents who do not regularly see an NHS dentist have tried to join an NHS dental ‘list’ within the last year
• 62% of respondents who regularly see an NHS dentist travel 10 miles or less
• There were many mentions of appointment delays, excessive waiting and appointment cancellations
• 12 people (11%) said it was ‘impossible’ or ‘almost impossible’ to access NHS dental care in Rutland
• The scarcity of NHS dental care is impacting the oral health of Rutland residents
• There were 14 (12%) positive comments about NHS dental care

Healthwatch Rutland called for an urgent response from dental commissioners to rapidly build capacity in general dental practice through contract reform and define a clearer pathway into local urgent and emergency NHS dental care that is effectively communicated to patients.