Shock data shows almost no-one can get in with an NHS dentist if not already registered

People queued outside a dental practice from 2.30am to get one of the few places available as official data suggests 'NHS dentistry has effectively ceased to exist'

A staggering 97% of people who tried to get in with an NHS dentist last month were unable to do so amid reports of patients queuing through the night to get a place.

The Office for National Statistics has revealed how much of a closed shop NHS dentistry has become. On Monday more than 100 people reportedly queued from 2.30am to get a place at an NHS dentist in Warrington.

The ONS survey ‘Experiences of NHS healthcare services in England’ looked at the percentage of the population without an NHS dentist, who attempted to get an appointment with one in the last month. Of those who failed to secure one, 11% were recorded as going private, 1.6% reported going to A&E and 1.1% reported going to their GP.

Some 79% did nothing which the British Dental Association warns is storing up problems for the oral health of the nation. It comes after the Mirror has launched the Dentists for All campaign, demanding a return to universal access.

BDA chair Eddie Crouch said: “This is a reminder that for new patients NHS dentistry has effectively ceased to exist. This crisis is piling pressure across our health service, forcing some to go private, while others in agony simply forgo needed care. We will keep seeing desperate scenes outside dental practices the length and breadth of this country until we see real reform.”

The ONS data confirmed just 52% of the population are registered with an NHS dentist and its data suggests those not in with one will struggle to be accepted anywhere. Some 96.9% of those who do not have a dentist and who tried to access NHS dental care were unsuccessful during the period August 20 to September 11. The data raises serious issues for people who may have fallen off their local NHS dental register or who may need a new one after moving house. It showed overall 34% of the population now pay to access a private dentist.

Of those who tried to access NHS dentistry, but did not have a dentist, 33.5% reported having an urgent need for NHS care, with 21.3% stating they were in pain.

The Warrington Guardian reported on chaotic scenes outside a practice in the town this week after dentists sent out an email informing residents that they will be accepting 20 new NHS registrations once a month on a first come, first served basis. It said that to secure a place, people must attend the practice on the day in person. People brought camp chairs to pitch up on as they waited through the night outside the surgery run by the chain MyDentist.

The resident told the Warrington Guardian: “How is this acceptable? There were elderly people in the queue.”

Recent NHS data for England found half of children are not getting an annual check up to tackle problems before they become serious. This rises to only one in three adults. One in four kids aged five are suffering with dental decay.

Labour has promised to renegotiate the NHS contract which pays dentists the same amount for three fillings as 20 and was branded “not fit for purpose” by the Health Select Committee. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recovery plan earlier this year effectively kicked meaningful contract reform into the long grass until after the General Election.

The overall NHS dentistry budget for England has remained at around £3 billion for a decade but has seen a £1 billion real terms cut over this period due to inflation. It has become increasingly made up of the contribution from patient charges which have gone up by 45% in the last decade.

A spokesperson for NHS Cheshire and Merseyside added: “We’re aware of the challenges around accessing NHS dental services in Warrington, which are also being seen across the country. Building on the NHS’s reforms to dentistry we’re working with dental practices to explore how NHS dental services can be provided across Cheshire and Merseyside.”