MP raises NHS dentist shortage at Westminster

A Devon MP says there is a severe shortage of NHS dentists in south-west England

A Devon MP says "urgent action" is needed to deal with the shortage of NHS dentists in south-west England.

Richard Foord MP, Liberal Democrat for Honiton and Sidmouth, said NHS dentistry in rural areas was "more of a myth than a reality" and in Devon alone there were currently no dentists taking on adult NHS patients.

He is leading a debate on the issue in Westminster on Tuesday.

The Department for Health said "rebuilding NHS dentistry" would take time.

'Government priority'

Foord said people in Devon were faced with a choice of travelling for hours to find a dentist, or paying to go private, with some people also trying to fix problems themselves.

The MP said 55% of adults in Devon were able to see a dentist in 2015, but that figure has now dropped to just over 37%.

A BBC investigation in 2022 found the south-west of England was one of the worst areas for trying to access an NHS dentist.

Earlier this year, one woman from Devon in her 70s said she extracted three of her own teeth because she could not find an NHS dentist and could not afford to go private.

Jenna Murgatroyd, who has a dental practice in St Agnes, Cornwall, told the BBC before the general election practices like hers were "hanging on by a thread".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Rebuilding NHS dentistry is a priority for this government, but it will take time to construct an NHS dental sector that is fit for the future.

"We will start with an extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help those who need it most, and we will also reform the dental contract to encourage more dentists to offer NHS services to patients."

Please get in touch with your stories about finding an NHS dentist in Devon by emailing [e-mail].