A petition urging the Government to adequately fund NHS dentistry was submitted today after garnering 120,632 signatures. The petition highlighted that the current £3 billion allocated for dental services in England only serves half of the population seeking dental care. Compared to other UK regions, the Westminster government allocates nearly half less funding per capita for dental services.
The Mirror has joined forces with the British Dental Association (BDA) and advocacy group 38 Degrees for the Dentists for All campaign. The campaign initiated a petition titled “Fund NHS dentistry NOW” to address the funding shortfall.
Eddie Crouch, Chair of the BDA, emphasized the urgent need for new investments to alleviate long queues at dental practices and prevent distressing situations. The lack of funding exacerbates access and affordability issues, putting additional strain on families. Crouch urged the government to prioritize NHS dentistry to avoid resorting to self-treatment.
The oral health crisis in England has left 14 million adults with unmet dental needs, representing a quarter of the adult population. A decade of budget cuts has led to a situation where most dentists no longer accept new adult patients, forcing some individuals to extract their own teeth due to lack of access to professional care.
Plans are underway to overhaul the flawed NHS dental payment contract, which currently results in dentists treating high-needs patients at a financial loss. This system has prompted many NHS dentists to switch to private practices, causing a shortage of NHS dental providers.
Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, stressed the immediate need for increased funding for NHS dentistry to address the widespread lack of affordable dental care. McGregor emphasized the importance of government action to ensure accessible dental services for all UK residents.
The budget for NHS dentistry in England has stagnated at £3 billion since 2010 without adjustments for inflation or population growth. The British Dental Association estimates that this stagnant funding represents a real-term budget reduction of over a third.
Despite nominal increases in patient charges, government funding for dentistry has decreased by £20 million under the Tory administration. The direct government contribution to the dentistry budget in England stands at approximately £2.2 billion.
While patient charges have risen above inflation rates, the direct government funding has been limited. For instance, the cost of dentures has surged by £128 since 2010, with a pair now priced at £327.