Plans for 12 new dentists in 'challenging' areas

The report said high demand for NHS dental care frequently outstripped supply

Two areas identified as the "most challenging" in the county for accessing NHS dental care could be about to get more dentists.

A report suggests Peterborough and Huntingdon, both in Cambridgeshire, have been earmarked for a recruitment scheme.

The county will get 12 new dentists as part of a government programme, which gives incentive payments of £20,000 for practitioners to work in underserved areas.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board (ICB) said it would be able to confirm locations of where the dentists will be based once the process has "further progressed".

About 240 dentists across the country have been offered "golden hello" payments to work in underserved areas for up to three years.

Dentists will get £10,000 in the first year, and £5,000 in each of the subsequent two years.

A report on dental provision, which will be presented to Peterborough City councillors on Tuesday, will reveal where these could be located in Cambridgeshire.

It said: "The ICB is in the process of reviewing the expressions of interest that have been received from local providers and will prioritise based on areas of greatest need.

"The insights report suggests that these areas are in the Peterborough and Huntingdon localities."

In Cambridgeshire, it is hoped the 12 new dentists will each carry out 6,000 of what are known as "units of dental activity" (UDAs).

A basic check-up would be one UDA, and more complex work such as bridges, crowns and dentures could be 12 UDAs.

'Meet community needs'

The report highlighted a separate incentive scheme which had resulted in an estimated 12,600 more patients in Cambridgeshire seeing an NHS dentist.

The scheme was introduced last year, giving dentists payments of between £15 and £50 for every new patient if they have not seen a dentist in two years.

The report pointed to a general imbalance of supply and demand.

It said: "High demand for NHS dental services frequently outstrips the supply of available appointments, resulting in prolonged waiting times for routine check-ups and treatments."

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, a group representing patients, said 15% of inquiries it had received in the past year were to do with difficulties accessing an NHS dentist.

Jess Slater, its chief executive, said: "If new dental services are developed, it is important for healthcare professionals to collaborate with local residents to ensure these services meet community needs."