Campaigners travelled to Westminster today to deliver a petition backed by thousands calling for the government to fund NHS dentistry.
This comes as 34% of people said it was ‘often’ harder to get healthcare as a result of dentist fees over the last 12 months.
A fake ‘DIY dentist’ with his own DIY dentistry kit travelled to Westminster with campaigners today (12 November) as they delivered a 38 Degrees petition backed by more than 120,000 people to the Department of Health and Social Care.
A large UK-wide poll by Survation for 38 Degrees shows that in the past 12 months, costs have made it harder for the public to access dentistry:
- Polling shows when it comes to cost dentistry trumps prescriptions, eye tests and other private healthcare fees when it comes to barriers to care
- While two thirds (34%) of people said it was ‘often’ harder to get healthcare as a result of dentist fees over the last 12 months, the figure rises to 37% for 18-34 year olds and 38% for 35-44
- The figure rises to 40% for people in the north east. It’s also 40% for people with Black British, Black Welsh, Caribbean, or African ethnicity, and 39% for Asian British ethnicity
- And with so many families struggling to manage the bills, the figure stand at 41% for people with a mortgage
- At 39% the figure is highest among Reform UK supporters, the highest for any party identifier.
Cost of living crisis
BDA chair Eddie Crouch said: ‘We’re yet to see a penny of new investment to stop the queues outside practices and end horrific Victorian scenes.
‘Access and cost of living crises are colliding, and government needs to step up. Failure to commit funding here will heap new burdens on hard-pressed families who have no options.
‘Ministers need to show they are offering a future for NHS and not DIY dentistry.’
Matthew McGregor, CEO of 38 Degrees, added: ‘The government needs to properly fund NHS dentistry right now. Millions of people are going without access to affordable dental care, often living with pain and anxiety.
‘With dental deserts in areas across the country, some desperate people have even told us they are resorting to DIY dentistry. That’s why we’re handing in a petition, signed by 112,809 of us, demanding ministers fix the problem.
‘Reforms, promises and ambitions are one thing but, unless the government puts its money where its mouth is, millions of people across the UK will continue going without affordable and accessible dental care, and suffering as a result.’
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