Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah has warned that a lack of NHS dentists and the cost-of-living crisis mean people in the city are unable to access the vital treatment they need.
Ms Onwurah, speaking in the House of Commons this week, said the lack of available NHS dental services was "storing up more trouble for later". Citing figures demonstrating that nine in 10 dentists are not accepting new NHS patients, she urged the Government to address the crisis - which has seen shocking numbers turn to "DIY dentistry" at home.
Figures from the Local Government Association highlight how in Newcastle there is around one NHS dentist for every 7,000 people. Across the North East, fewer than four in 10 people had seen an NHS dentist in the last two years according to House of Commons Library research.
