I extracted my own tooth! Access to NHS dental care

Healthwatch Nottingham and Healthwatch Nottinghamshire investigated people’s experiences of accessing NHS dental care during the Covid-19 pandemic. 303 responses were received from people across Nottingham and Nottinghamshire, providing a clear picture of the effects of the pandemic on people’s ability to obtain treatment.

The findings of the study highlight a wide range of issues over accessing NHS dental appointments and the effects of this on patients. Although 17.7% of respondents were satisfied with their dentist, which is a positive finding in view of the reduced capacity of dental surgeries throughout the pandemic, many patients had difficulty accessing the care they needed.

Over half of the respondents could not book an NHS dental appointment as none were available: other people were removed from the list of patients, or were offered private treatment, which they were unable to afford. Inability to book dental appointments had a major impact on patients’ wellbeing, many experiencing pain or a worsening dental condition, or an adverse effect on their daily activities and mental health.

It is a cause for concern that in some cases people resorted to treating their dental condition at home, including extracting their own teeth, and that some patients experienced a worsening of existing health conditions as a result of not being able to book a dental appointment.

The study also found a lack of accessible dental practices, resulting in patients with disabilities having difficulty booking an appointment.

Overall, this study illustrates the serious and wide-ranging impacts of the lack of availability of NHS dental appointments. It also shows that patients already experiencing social, economic and/or health disadvantages were severely impacted.