Access to dentistry in decline in Dorset
Problems in recruiting dentists to the area means it will remain difficult for years to come
Last updated 14th Jul 2022
Access to an NHS dentist has continued to decline in Dorset – falling from 45% of the adult population in December 2020 to 35% a year later.
For children the situation has been improving, with access up by 12 per cent over the same period, although almost 60% of Dorset children do not have access to a NHS dentist.
Problems in recruiting dentists to the area suggest that the situation is likely to remain difficult for years to come with more patients being forced to switch to private treatment for routine care, or go without.
A report to councillors next week says that 102 practices in Dorset now offer dental services with 25 which offer urgent care slots during their normal working hours. Most of these are in Bournemouth and Poole.
Out of hours care across the county is provided by Access Dental which is commissioned to provide urgent appointments from bases in Boscombe and Dorchester.
The most serious cases, which might include rapid facial swelling, uncontrolled bleeding or facial trauma, are expected to be treated at hospital accident and emergency departments.
The report to the people and health scrutiny committee on Tuesday (19) says that a lack of dentists in the county is undermining the ability of high street practices to meet their contracts – with Covid having added to the problems, although most are now once again operating normally.
Like other professions the cost of living in Dorset and neighbouring area and its perceived image is seen as a factor for recruitment.
The report concludes:
“The reasons for the unwillingness of dentists to come to the South West are not necessarily different to those affecting other sectors of the health and social care system.
"Dorset is viewed as a lifestyle choice by both the medical and dental profession and, due to several factors including, limited training opportunities, the younger generation often tend to favour the larger cities.”
The report says that what is seen as low payment from the NHS for care is also a contributing factor:
“This is becoming an increasing concern across the region with dental practices becoming financially unviable, due to the large increase in running costs, but no proportionate increase in contract value.
"These factors make it extremely difficult for practices to attract dentists to the area and are also a large contributing factor for dentists opting to go private as appose to continuing with NHS dental contracts.”
Other factors causing problems in getting NHS dental care locally include more dentists leaving for the private sector and some EU dentists leaving with fewer arriving.