‘A national disgrace’ – dental charity to offer treatment in face of NHS access troubles

Toothless in England slammed the government as a dental charity gears up to provide treatment to those struggling to access an NHS dentist.

Dentaid will send a mobile clinic to Leiston, Suffolk, and Bury St Edmunds this week in the face of NHS dental access troubles.

Local dentists will volunteer to provide the treatment free of charge from 10am until 4pm to people who are in pain and need extractions or fillings.

Steve Marsling is co-founder of Toothless in Suffolk, where the campaign originally began. He successfully lobbied local councillors to help finance Dentaid’s visit.

‘National disgrace’

‘We shouldn’t have to rely on charity,’ he said.

‘Governments have neglected NHS dentistry for far too long. This week, we will see scores of people from Leiston and beyond queuing up begging for treatment outside a mobile clinic run by a charity originally set up to help treat the dental needs of people in developing countries.

‘The NHS we know and love isn’t there for us anymore. It’s a national disgrace.’

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Toothless in England have six demands including:

1. An NHS dentist for everyone
2. Reforms to the NHS dental contract that will encourage dentists to provide NHS treatments
3. Revenue to cover 50% of the population that are unfunded by the government
4. NHS dental treatments to be free at the point of use
5. People to be prioritised before shareholder dividend – no more privatisation
6. An end to the two-tier system – hygienists, routine check-ups and preventative treatments must be a core NHS function.

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