Plymouth schoolchildren campaign for better dental care

The schoolchildren launched a campaign to raise awareness of the lack of NHS dental provision in the city

Primary schoolchildren in Plymouth have launched a campaign to highlight a lack of NHS dental provision.

Pupils at Whitleigh Community Primary School launched their drive after teacher Sarah O'Neill surveyed parents.

Ms O'Neill said nearly 50% of children were not on the books of an NHS dentist, while more than a quarter of those who were couldn't get an appointment.

She added: "It makes me really sad."

The teacher said she canvassed parents on access to dental care after she couldn't find a place for her own children.

Teacher Sarah O'Neill said the lack of provision was "alarming"

She found the responses from more than 100 parents "alarming", she said.

"I grew up having six-monthly check-ups and making sure that my teeth were healthy and my mouth was healthy."

The "concerning" results have sparked action in the classroom, with pupils launching a campaign to get better access, creating posters - and even penning a song demanding "what's fair".

Head teacher Gavin Summerfield said they were "firm believers" that children had the right to good dental care.

Gavin Summerfield said children had a right to good dental care

In August, a BBC investigation could not find a single dental practice in Devon taking on new adult NHS patients.

Nationwide, the survey found nine out of 10 practices asked were not taking on patients, including all 69 practices with NHS contracts contacted in Devon. Across the UK, eight out of 10 practices were refusing to take children.

'On the brink'

Responding to the children's campaign, the British Dental Association said the government's NHS dental budget had "for a decade" failed to keep pace with inflation and population growth.

Ahead of the Autumn Statement, the association's chairman Eddie Crouch said: "Ministers need to wake up and listen to these parents.

"NHS dentistry is on the brink, but instead of support and investment, we're bracing ourselves for savage cuts. Our youngest patients will inevitably lose out.

"Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children. Without urgent action the government will leave millions with no options."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said improving access to primary care was a "key priority".

They said the number of dentists practising in the NHS had increased "by more than 500" last year and their work to improve access was backed by "more than £3bn annually".

They added: "We have already started to make changes to the dental contract to incentivise dentists, paying more for complex work and enabling those with capacity to treat more patients, with further improvements to come."