A “dire” shortage of dentists in the UK is leading patients to take drastic measures when it comes to fixing their teeth, leading healthcare bodies have warned.
A survey by the British Dental Association and the BBC found that 91% of NHS dental practices in England were not accepting new adult patients, totalling 4,933 out of the 5,416 who replied to the survey. The figure was similarly high in Scotland, with 82% of practices saying that they were not taking on new patients, while it was 93% in Wales and 90% in Northern Ireland.
Louise Ansari, national director of Healthwatch England, warned that the current situation is “pretty dire” for patients awaiting dental treatment, The Mirror reports. Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: "So many people can't get an NHS dentist appointment, they're in pain, they're anxious, some people can't eat or speak properly.
