Stockton MP brands dentistry cash 'a drop in the ocean'

Even before the pandemic many dentists were leaving the NHS

A Teesside MP has branded a recent government cash injection of £50m into NHS dentistry as a "drop in the ocean".

Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said his inbox was inundated with complaints from residents unable to get appointments.

He described NHS dentistry as having been "neglected for 15 years", with backlogs due to the pandemic making a "bad situation worse".

NHS England said it was looking at ways to boost access to existing services.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said that Michelle Thompson, a lay member on the governing body of the Tees Valley Clinical Commissioning Group, had told it there was continued frustration by many over access to NHS treatment and "we have got people pulling their own teeth out".

She also said those who could afford it were paying up to 20 times more for procedures privately than what they would cost on the NHS.

'Faced challenges'

Mr Vickers said: "If we are at all serious about levelling up healthcare across the UK, we must do more to address the grave situation dentistry is facing.

"Millions are missing out on appointments, DIY tooth extraction is on the rise, mouth cancers are going undiagnosed and health professionals are leaving NHS dentistry by the boatload.

"Make no mistake that this is already a national crisis.

"While the £50m cash injection for dentistry treatment is welcome, it will be a drop in the ocean in the unprecedented backlogs that NHS dentistry faces."

He called for more long-term funding and an increase in training places for budding dentists, and pledged to continue raising the matter with ministers.

An NHS England spokeswoman said: "We are aware NHS dentistry has faced challenges over the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We are committed to ensuring everyone can access high quality dental care and are looking at ways to increase access to existing services and working with partners to improve the recruitment and retention of the dental workforce in the area."