NHS dentist exodus in Suffolk leaving patients in limbo
One in five NHS dentists in West Suffolk stopped treating patients last year, while 13 dentists in Ipswich and East Suffolk also left the health service
Last updated 20th Jan 2022
The state of NHS dentistry has been described as 'hanging by a thread' after new data revealed that over 2,500 dental posts were lost in the last year across England and Wales.
Locally, one in five dentists left the West Suffolk NHS Clinical Commissioning Group area, while a total of 13 dentists quit from Ipswich and East Suffolk NHS Commissioning Group area in the last year.
Shawn Charlwood is from the British Dental Association: "Years of failed contracts and underfunding have meant a growing number of dentists no longer see the NHS as a place to build a career.
"The pandemic has upped the ante, and we are now facing down an exodus .NHS dentistry is hanging by a thread, because without NHS dentists, there will be no NHS dentistry."
This lack of availability of dentists has meant that waiting times for patients has sky-rocketed.
Louise Dennington from Ipswich began experiencing sharp pains in her back teeth just before the pandemic started. She tried contacting her local surgery
"They just said they're not taking NHS patients, sorry and then goodbye. I've been trying o get an appointment through the NHS with other dental surgeries but no one is accepting cases. They give you web sites and links to follow, but nowhere in my area are they taking anyone."
The pain worsened over time and she was forced, in the last week, to visit a private clinic. She was diagnosed as needing a root canal immediately but unfortunately cannot afford to pay for the treatment.
"For the root canal it would cost £650 pound and taking the the tooth out is a further £180 and I can't afford that. I'm not working on that great wages andI've got children to look after as well. So it's out of my range."
Margaret Jessop, also from Ipswich, tells us that she missed one dentist appointment in late 2019 after having lost her diary, which her surgery rebooked for March 2020. However, the pandemic struck and the practice cancelled all appointments but also took Mrs Jessop's family off their books.
She was told that it was due to them not visiting the clinic regularly enough and missing an appointment. That was the start of the nightmare for her.
"I have been trying to get us back on an NHS dentist books since then. I’ve rung every dentist regularly but none would accept us.
"Some said they would be prepared to take my children as NHS patients if me and my husband were private patients. Many actually laughed out loud when I asked if they had any NHS spaces, and most were only prepared to take us all as private patients on a monthly dental plan."
Still without an NHS dentist, she had to fork out £70 for a dental check up when she was in pain at a private clinic and is concerned that her son may need braces. Orthodontic treatment for anyone under-18 is free with the NHS but could be costly at a private clinic.
"I find it astonishing and very sad that I can’t even get my children in to be seen on the NHS. We simply don’t have the money and I can’t imagine we are alone on this."
They aren't alone. Hope Nash is another Suffolk resident, who has been suffering from severe toothache. She hasn't been able to access any NHS treatment.
"I've had multiple calls to 111 with no help and suggested to drink and eat through a straw, I've even been to A&E and been given morphine to help with the pain. I live with constant pain and have to take painkillers most of the time."
We have also received accounts of patients who moved to Suffolk five years ago but still haven't been able to register with a surgery. Others have seen their dentists either retire or begin private practices and struggled to find new NHS surgeries since.
Mr Charlwood from the British Dental Association explains why these dentists are opting to quit the NHS and open private practices. "I think this has been a long process over the last decade, where the NHS system has become less attractive for dentists.
"For almost 15 years, dentists and their teams have been working in what we call a UDA system – that stands for units of dental activity. In essence it’s a system full of arbitrary tick boxes and targets and it doesn’t prioritize the ability for dentists to deliver preventative care, which is what is appropriate.
"It also actually doesn’t encourage dentists to see new patients who often have quite significant health needs. It is just not sustainable for practices to operate within that system if they are having to devote lots of clinical time which, in essence, is not being adequately funded.
"Reform is pledged in England, but it has to be a decisive break with a failed contract. There’s no other sector of the NHS that has seen this level of under investment and what we’re calling for is a rapid reform of the contract in order to encourage dentists and teams to remain working in the NHS."
NHS England is tasked with commissioning dental services for many counties, including Suffolk. A spokesperson for them says, “The NHS has taken unprecedented action to support NHS dentists throughout the pandemic by providing additional funding for practices unable to deliver their usual levels of activity, alongside rapidly setting up 600 urgent dental centres across England so patient services could be maintained during the pandemic.
"People should continue to come forward for the dental care they need, and the care and treatment of people who need it most should be prioritised.”