Concern parts of North Yorkshire are becoming 'dental deserts'

Patients say it is impossible to get an appointment

Author: Karen LiuPublished 5th Jun 2023

Frustrated patients in York say they are sick and tired of trying to get a dental appointment.

Stats from the Government show only around 4 in 10 have seen their dentist in the last year.

Bupa York Dental Care at Holgate Park is also set to close at the end of this month.

Sian Balsom is from Healthwatch York and said: "Patients cannot find practices to take them on. Practices cannot take up the offers that are being made to them. If we don't do something about it it's not just about oral health, this is about physical health as well.

"We've heard from people who've had serious issues with dental abscesses and the failure to address them have lead to horrific physical health complications.

"This is just unacceptable. It needs addressing. We have been fighting the good fight on this for a significant period of time now and I'm yet to see anything that gives me real hope for the future.

"The main reason people contact us is because they can't find an NHS dentist. What's new is how many of those calls involve people explaining to us that they know they can go private and they simply can't afford it."

The Government says it is investing more than £3 billion a year into dentistry and have already brought in extra measures to improve access.

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