Faversham dental surgery receives 27,000 calls for NHS slots

A queue had formed outside Faversham Smiles dental surgery before it opened on 1 August

A dental surgery said it logged 27,000 phone inquiries in one day after announcing it was taking on more NHS patients.

Faversham Smiles, in Faversham, Kent, also said over 100 people queued outside the surgery for the NHS slots, some from the early hours.

The practice was able to offer 120 appointments to new patients.

The Department of Health and Social Care said it has increased funding to encourage dentists to take on NHS work.

In a Facebook Post on Tuesday, Faversham Smiles practice manager Elli Cain, said: "Since 08:00 when we opened, and our intake began, we've had over 100 people attend the Practice, over 700 emails, and our phone system has logged over 27,000 calls (so far)!

"The team have been communicating with potential and existing patients all day. From the first 60 enquiries (20 in queue, 20 by phone, and 20 by email), we have managed to secure appointments for over 120 patients."

The lack of NHS appointments across the UK has led people to drive hundreds of miles in search of treatment, and even pull out their own teeth without anaesthesia.

A BBC investigation found nine in 10 NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult patients for treatment under the health service.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Council, said the root of the problem were the contracts being offered to carry out NHS work.

"We've got a target-based contract that really isn't popular with the profession" he told BBC Radio Kent.

A spokesman from the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We are working to improve access to NHS dental care - investing more than £3bn a year into dentistry. And the number of children seen by NHS dentists rose by 43.6% last year."

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