Number of patients per dentist in Rutland rises by a fifth
The Lib Dems are warning parts of the country risk becoming "dental deserts" unless more investment's put into services
New figures show the number of patients per dentist in East Leicestershire and Rutland has risen by around a fifth since 2019.
Data commissioned by the Liberal Democrats found there are as many as 3,000 people per NHS dentist in some English areas.
Fewer than half of children saw a dentist in the past year in England, with opposition MPs warning parts of the country have become "dental deserts".
The Lib Dems are calling for an NHS dental healthcare plan to ensure every person can access affordable dental care.
"The staggering rise in dental deserts has left far too many people struggling to get an NHS dental appointment"
The proposals include spending what the party says is £400 million of NHS dental services funding that went unspent this year in order to boost the number of appointments.
Sir Ed, who is ramping up campaigning ahead of the local elections next month, wants reforms to the NHS dental contract and is pressing for additional resources for mobile dental units to visit schools, community centres and care homes.
He is also demanding the removal of VAT on children's toothbrushes and toothpaste.
"The staggering rise in dental deserts has left far too many people struggling to get an NHS dental appointment," Sir Ed said.
"It is heart-breaking that people are being left waiting in pain for months or even years for the dental care they need.
"Many are being forced to shell out thousands of pounds on private dental care, while some are even turning in desperation to DIY dentistry.
"This Conservative Government has been asleep at the wheel for years and allowed this dental crisis to get worse and worse.
"We need to see action now to make sure everyone can see a dentist on the NHS when they need to.
"That must start with investing the cash earmarked for NHS dentistry that has scandalously gone unspent, and reforming the broken system that has driven dentists away from offering NHS appointments."
Out of 104 local areas in England, 65 have seen the number of people per dentist rise since 2019, the figures indicate.
Nationally there are an average of 2,330 people per NHS dentist in England.
A poll commissioned by the Lib Dems last year revealed that a fifth of people who failed to get an NHS dentist appointment in the past year turned to DIY dentistry.
The British Dental Association (BDA) said its own data indicated that hundreds of dentists were undertaking the equivalent of a single NHS check-up a year.
Gov: "We are working to improve access to NHS dental care by investing more than £3 billion a year"
Eddie Crouch, the association's chairman, said: "Dental deserts are on the rise, but the true scale of the exodus from the NHS is going untracked in official data.
"The Prime Minister keeps boasting of 500 'new' dentists in the NHS. The reality is we have 500 doing a single check-up a year.
"We need a reality check from government, together with honesty, ambition and investment."
The Department of Health and Social Care said ministers were preparing to announce further measures to "improve" access to NHS dental surgeries.
A spokesman said: "We are working to improve access to NHS dental care by investing more than £3 billion a year.
"We reformed the NHS dental contract to encourage more dentists to provide NHS treatments and allow dental therapists and hygienists to offer extra services, and increased the amount practices receive for high-need patients.
"There were over 500 more dentists delivering NHS care in 2022 than in 2021, but we know there is more to do and we will be announcing further measures to improve access across the country soon."