UK: DIY dentistry has become more common in Britain as more than 90% of NHS dental clinics are unable to accommodate new adult customers, according to the Director of Healthwatch England. DIY dental practices include people using superglue to adhere handmade teeth to their gums.
A long-standing issue has been the lack of access to NHS dental care. There are now "dental deserts" in several portions of the country, especially in rural and coastal areas, as a result of COVID. They are currently witnessing a worrying flight of dentists from the NHS as a result of long-standing institutional issues as well as the additional difficulties brought on by the pandemic. NHS dentistry is at a tipping point, and it is obvious that if they don't act quickly, the damage will be difficult to restore. The system is facing a double whammy of growing demand and limited supply.
The ‘dire’ state of NHS
In a study conducted by the British Dental Association and the BBC, 91% of NHS practices in England said they did not take on any new adult patients. In the east midlands, this number was 97%, while in the south-west, north-west, and Yorkshire and the Humber, it was 98%. 90% of NHS clinics in Northern Ireland were not taking on new adult patients, compared to 82% in Scotland and 93% in Wales.
The national director of Healthwatch England, Louise Ansari, stated that the survey's findings indicated that dental care in the UK is in "dire" need of improvement and that she had heard of people pulling out their own teeth. The Department of Health and Social Care commented on the survey findings that NHS dental practices are unable to accept new patients, stating that improving patient access to NHS dental care is a government priority and the recent dental contract reforms are a crucial step in allowing the best-performing practices to see more patients and better utilize the variety of specialists working in the sector, such as dental therapists.
The NHS should provide more clarity
"Dentists are regulated health-care professionals and in the vast majority of cases always do what is best for their patients," says Dr. Barry Cockcroft, Chief Dental Officer for England. The British Dental Association (BDA), however, holds a little different viewpoint. Although the vast majority of dentists do put the needs of the patient first, they contend that the existing financial system is insufficient. John Milne, the BDA's general dentistry practice committee chair, says the government must be upfront with the public and the profession about the services the NHS will offer and the number of patients it can accommodate.
In order to minimize uncertainty and conflict, more clarity is required. Although change is underway and the shortcomings of the current system are well known, the procedure is agonisingly slow. Most dentists would like to treat more NHS patients, but a cash-limited system now limits their ability to do so.
