As a petition to save NHS dentistry hits a quarter of a million signatures, experts are urging the health secretary to prioritise its reform.
The British Dental Association (BDA) warned that the government must move at pace to honour pledges to save NHS dentistry. This comes as a petition, cosigned by over 250,000 supporters, was delivered to Downing Street yesterday.
Joined by NHS hospital dentist and petition author Tom Thayer, BDA chair Eddie Crouch was part of the group that handed over the petition. They were also joined by patient Anthony Page, whose life was saved by a routine NHS dental check-up which detected his mouth cancer, MPs and campaigners from the Women’s Institute.
Formal negotiations to reform the the NHS dental contract have yet to begin.
This week, health secretary Wes Streeting pledged to improve dental access, telling MPs: ‘NHS dentistry is at death’s door.’
He added that dental appointments are being delivered ‘as fast as we can’, promising to fix the ‘front door’ to the NHS.
‘Clock is ticking’ on NHS dentistry
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: ‘The public and this profession have a simple message for the PM.
‘The clock is ticking on NHS dentistry and this government must make good on its promises. If reform is kicked into the long grass there won’t be a service left to save.’
Dental experts have criticised prime minister Keir Starmer’s ‘plan for change’, which failed to mention the government’s pledges for dentistry.
Starmer laid out the plan last month, which includes targets and timelines for many key manifesto pledges.
Shawn Charlwood is chair of the British Dental Association’s (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee. He 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.
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
