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| Dentist shortage hits 'millions' | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| One in six people may not have visited an NHS dentist for almost two years, a poll suggests. | One in six people may not have visited an NHS dentist for almost two years, a poll suggests. |
| Some 300 people of 1,800 surveyed blamed lack of access to an NHS dentist. | |
| Citizens Advice, which commissioned the research, says as many as seven and a half million adults may be affected. | |
| Dentists say the NHS does not offer them enough incentives to join. Ministers are promising extra money for the dentistry budget. | Dentists say the NHS does not offer them enough incentives to join. Ministers are promising extra money for the dentistry budget. |
| Private treatment | Private treatment |
| The survey of 1,800 adults found that a fifth had had private dentristry treatment and just over a third had gone without. | The survey of 1,800 adults found that a fifth had had private dentristry treatment and just over a third had gone without. |
| Those who had received private treatment or not had any treatment were then asked for their main reason for not seeing an NHS dentist. | Those who had received private treatment or not had any treatment were then asked for their main reason for not seeing an NHS dentist. |
| Over 300 blamed lack of access to an NHS dentist - one sixth of the total quizzed. | Over 300 blamed lack of access to an NHS dentist - one sixth of the total quizzed. |
| We are working hard to improve access to NHS dentists and the government remains fully committed to expanding services Ann Keen, health minister 'I've no idea when I'll get a dentist' | We are working hard to improve access to NHS dentists and the government remains fully committed to expanding services Ann Keen, health minister 'I've no idea when I'll get a dentist' |
| The charity's chief executive David Harker said "People on low incomes are particularly affected as private treatment is just not an option." | The charity's chief executive David Harker said "People on low incomes are particularly affected as private treatment is just not an option." |
| Citizen's Advice says that if the one in six figure was extrapolated to the whole of the population it could mean well over 7m patients were struggling to get treatment. This is much higher than the official figure, which stands at 2m. | Citizen's Advice says that if the one in six figure was extrapolated to the whole of the population it could mean well over 7m patients were struggling to get treatment. This is much higher than the official figure, which stands at 2m. |
| The survey showed huge regional variations throughout the UK, with the south west and north west the worst hit. | The survey showed huge regional variations throughout the UK, with the south west and north west the worst hit. |
| Lester Ellman, of the British Dental Association, said: "It is clear dentistry is not getting any better. | Lester Ellman, of the British Dental Association, said: "It is clear dentistry is not getting any better. |
| "The bottom line is that there are not enough dentists working in the NHS and that is because the government have failed to make it attractive enough." | "The bottom line is that there are not enough dentists working in the NHS and that is because the government have failed to make it attractive enough." |
| He denied it was a matter of money and said instead dentists wanted to spend more time with their patients. | He denied it was a matter of money and said instead dentists wanted to spend more time with their patients. |
| Health minister Ann Keen said: "We are working hard to improve access to NHS dentists and the government remains fully committed to expanding services. | Health minister Ann Keen said: "We are working hard to improve access to NHS dentists and the government remains fully committed to expanding services. |
| "It is now a national priority for the health service." | "It is now a national priority for the health service." |
| She added the dentistry budget was being increased by 11% from this year to help achieve this. | She added the dentistry budget was being increased by 11% from this year to help achieve this. |
| Long-running problem | Long-running problem |
| NHS dentistry has been a long-running problem for the government. | NHS dentistry has been a long-running problem for the government. |
| A new contract aimed at giving dentists more time with patients to get away from the so-called "drill and fill" culture was introduced as part of a reform of NHS dentistry in 2006. | A new contract aimed at giving dentists more time with patients to get away from the so-called "drill and fill" culture was introduced as part of a reform of NHS dentistry in 2006. |
| It was hoped the move would stem the loss of NHS dentists to the private sector. | It was hoped the move would stem the loss of NHS dentists to the private sector. |
| But despite getting paid the same for seeing less patients, 1,000 of the 21,000 NHS dentists in England refused to sign it, believing it was not as radical as they were led to believe it would be. | But despite getting paid the same for seeing less patients, 1,000 of the 21,000 NHS dentists in England refused to sign it, believing it was not as radical as they were led to believe it would be. |
| New dentists have been gradually recruited to the health service, but figures are no higher than they were before the new contract. | New dentists have been gradually recruited to the health service, but figures are no higher than they were before the new contract. |