Over 40 NHS dentists in Sussex left the profession last year
Unions warn NHS dentistry is 'hanging by a thread'
43 NHS dentists have left the profession in Sussex in the last year, with unions warning the service is 'hanging by a thread'.
There were 866 across both East and West Sussex in 2020, but last year that number dropped down to 823.
Shawn Charlwood from the British Dentistry Association said: "Very often it takes many years before someone is recruited, and very often practices have almost given up. That has enormous implications for patients because for every dentist they can't recruit, that'll potentially effect thousands of patients in terms of them getting the NHS dental care they need.
"It will take a small proportion of what has been promised to the rest of the NHS to get NHS dentistry on a much better footing. And it needs a clear statement from government as to when the current contract, that doesn't work for patients or dentists, needs to be changed."
Bethan Holmes was told her NHS dentist was turning private because of "rising costs" at the beginning of the year.
She said: "When I got the letter I thought right I need to get on this before they turn private in a months time and I need to start paying. I tried loads, rang loads, emailed loads of different dentists. They said they weren't taking NHS patients but if you want to go private we'll take you on."
NHS England say they've continued to support NHS dentists throughout the pandemic by providing additional funding to struggling dental practices.