Just over half of adults report having an NHS dentist in the last month – with one third having private treatment.
This is according to new findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The report found:
- Just over half (52.8%) of adults reported having an NHS dentist
- One third (34.8%) of adults had a private dentist and more than one in 10 (12.2%) did not have a dentist
- Males were more likely not to have a dentist (14.2%) than females (10.2%)
- Adults in the south west and south east were most likely to have a private dentist
- Nine out of 10 (89.6%) adults with an NHS dentist who attended an NHS dental appointment in the last 28 days, were ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with the care they received
- Of those who did not have a dentist but tried to make an NHS dental appointment in the previous 28 days, 94.1% were unsuccessful.
The analysis relates to self-reported data collected during the period between 15 October 2024 and 6 November 2024 from the Health Insight Survey, commissioned by NHS England.
Dentistry misses out
This comes as dental experts criticise prime minister Keir Starmer’s ‘plan for change’, which did not mention the government’s pledges for dentistry.
On 5 December, Keir Starmer made a speech laying out the plan for change. It included targets and timelines for many key manifesto pledges, but those about dentistry were not included.
Shawn Charlwood, chair of the British Dental Association’s (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘Past promises on NHS dentistry are nowhere to be seen in this “plan for change”.
‘This crisis requires an action plan and a clear timetable. Warm words won’t get millions the care they need.’
Of six new ‘milestones’ mentioned by the prime minister, only one related to the NHS – a vow to reduce medical waiting times in secondary care.
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