Dental reforms 'have not increased access'
Friday, 06, Jun 2008 12:00
About 80,000 fewer people see a dentist than before the new dental contract was brought in during April 2006, according to new figures.
Statistics from the NHS Information Centre show that in the two years to December 2007 a total of 27.3 million patients saw an NHS dentist - just over half of the population.
This compares to the total of 28.1 million patients who saw an NHS dentist in the two years to April 2006.
NHS IC statistics also revealed wide regional variation in the number of patients seen for NHS dental treatment.
In the two years to December 2007, 49.3 per cent of adults in England were seen by an NHS dentist.
This figure varied from area to area, ranging from 38.9 per cent in South Central strategic health authority (SHA) area to 58.3 per cent in North East SHA area.
Over the same two-year period 69.6 per cent of children in England were seen by an NHS dentist.
The highest proportion was in North East SHA where 73.4 per cent of children accessed NHS dental care, while the lowest proportion was in London SHA where 64.8 per cent of children accessed NHS dental care.
British Dental Association (BDA) chief executive Peter Ward said the figures offer "fresh evidence that the reforms have failed to achieve their stated aims".
"They've failed to improve access to care for patients and failed to allow dentists to provide the modern, preventive care they want to deliver. Instead, this contract encourages sporadic, episodic treatment, rather than the long-term, continuing relationships that dentists and their patients' value," he claimed.
"The government must heed these statistics and work with patients and dentists to find constructive solution to the problems with the reforms behind this decline."
Responding to the figures, chief dental officer Barry Cockcroft said they do not reflect new services currently opening.
"Since the dental reforms we have made expanding NHS dentistry a national priority and have invested an extra £200 million this year to help strengthen local services and open more practices," he added.
"The figures are retrospective and include the temporary decrease in access which occurred following the transition to the new system in 2006.
"Due to the time delay between actual access levels and the development of official figures, it will take time before the current access situation is reflected in such figures."