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A DENTISTRY crisis is gripping the country, with thousands of people facing three-year waits for an appointment, according to Healthwatch England.
Some patients are being told to wait until 2024 to see a dentist, while others are being removed from practice lists for not making appointments sooner, the watchdog said.
Delays have resulted in painful symptoms worsening and, in one instance, led to a patient overdosing on painkillers and needing hospital treatment, it said.
Healthwatch England said that some patients were being offered swift private care at the same dental practice, with some reporting that they felt “pressured” to pay for treatment.
A number of practices appeared to be “prioritising” private care, it added.
Healthwatch England national director Imelda Redmond said: “The twin crisis of access and affordability hitting NHS dentistry means many people are not able to access timely care — and the poorest are hardest hit.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “All dental practices have been able to deliver their full range of face-to-face care since last June, with over 600 practices providing additional support for urgent dental treatment.”
