Patients confused over dental care rights says survey

Healthwatch, an organisation dedicated to improving local care, polled 1,791 adults in England. The data revealed:

This misunderstanding likely stems from the confusion caused by the introduction of the 2006 NHS dental contract, said Healthwatch.

Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, commented, “The difficulty of getting NHS dental treatment is one of the public’s biggest concerns about the healthcare system and a crisis that dental leaders estimate is denying 13m people access to NHS appointments. These findings underline the deplorable state of NHS dentistry.”

Gaps in access

Healthwatch England’s research highlights ongoing struggles in accessing NHS dental care:

Ash Green, chief executive of Healthwatch North Yorkshire, said, “Whilst we recognise that dental practices were given extra money to take on NHS patients, we’re still hearing how people are struggling to access NHS dental services, and the impact on their health and wellbeing is deeply concerning. Incremental changes are not enough – we need fundamental reform.”