The Gaping Cavity in Dental Treatments

Believe it or not, in the period from March to October this year compared to the same time frame last year has seen a drop in around 19 million dental treatments according to the British Dental Association (BDA).

These stark figures are a patchwork quilt of missed routine appointments as well as emergency treatments.  With Dental practices now operating at a third of capacity in the months of September and October compared to figures from last year; there are significant concerns in terms of a national oral health crisis.

In a survey carried out by the British Dental Association between both NHS and private dental practices over 55% of those who responded, concluded that they would not be financially viable within a year if they did not receive further financial support from the Government. 

Patients themselves are finding access to NHS treatment difficult; with some are resorting to self-medication to combat pain and some even finding themselves admitted to A&E departments due to inadvertently overdosing on paracetamol or ibuprofen.  With those from financially poorer backgrounds being unable to access NHS care due to sheer demand, some have seen the need to raise funds through friends and family to access essential care privately.  Now with increased economic uncertainty it is only reasonable to question how sustainable this form of ‘funding’ is for many within our communities.

But the problem does not stop there. With routine dental appointments being missed, the opportunity for health screening is also being postponed.  According to NHS figures, around 8,300 people are diagnosed with mouth cancer each year, so this drop in screening will of course be felt in other health and care services too. 

So too are fears around children’s oral health, with missed appointments leading to further, more complex work later down the line. Pre Covid figures saw the British Dental Association confirming that tooth decay was ‘the leading cause of hospital admission among children in the UK’.

Frustration is felt far and wide, with some dental practices taking out thousands of pounds of loans to ensure that their clinics remain open to serve their local communities due to many of them operating at less than half their pre-Covid capacity.

It is clear that during this unprecedented time our dental colleagues are fighting an unenviable battle of demand during financially and time restrictive course. The playing field is far from even in this area of healthcare; and whilst we eagerly await a mass vaccination programme in order to return to ‘normal’ we must acknowledge their resilience, compassion and resolve in these very difficult times.