Key Takeaways
- Patients in England are being denied emergency dental care from the NHS, despite guidance stating that it should be available.
- Many people are unable to get an appointment and are being forced to travel long distances, spend hundreds of pounds on private treatment, or even travel abroad to get care.
- Some individuals are resorting to risky self-treatment, such as pulling out their own teeth or taking unprescribed antibiotics.
- The government has committed to delivering 700,000 additional urgent appointments a year through to 2028-29.
- The NHS Business Services Authority has been recommended to publish monthly progress data on the urgent appointments target.
Introduction to the Crisis
People needing emergency dental care in England are being denied help from the NHS, despite guidance saying that it should be available. This has led to some individuals resorting to risky self-treatment, such as pulling out their own teeth or taking unprescribed antibiotics. The patient watchdog, Healthwatch England, has found that patients who experience a sudden dental crisis, such as a broken tooth, abscess, or severe tooth pain, are meant to be able to get help from their dentist or by calling NHS 111. However, research by Healthwatch England shows that people in pain are unable to get an appointment and in some cases are being forced to travel more than 100 miles, spend hundreds of pounds going private, or even travel abroad to get care.
The Struggle to Access NHS Dental Care
The Department of Health and Social Care has been contacted for comment on the matter. In a blog, Healthwatch England said: “People across England tell us they are unable to sign up with an NHS dentist for routine care. Even when they have been taken on as regular patients at an NHS dentist, many people wait months for a routine appointment. We have repeatedly highlighted these significant issues with accessing NHS dentists.” As a result, problems are not being prevented or treated early enough, and urgent care becomes the only form of dental care people can access. This has led to a surge in calls about dental issues to NHS 111, with data showing that calls have risen by about 20% between July and September 2025 compared to the same period the previous year.
The Consequences of Inadequate Dental Care
The consequences of inadequate dental care are far-reaching and have a significant impact on individuals. People told the watchdog about long and exhausting attempts to secure an urgent NHS dentist appointment. For some, this meant hours spent on hold to 111, while for others it meant being referred to urgent care and then being told that no appointments were available. Elsewhere, the watchdog found that when patients managed to get urgent dental treatment, the relief was only temporary. The blog said: “When urgent dental services shift from being a safety net for occasional crises to a default route for care, prevention is neglected, and patients suffer.” It added: “People report extreme pain, sleepless nights and worsening dental health. Many people feel forced to pay hundreds or thousands of pounds for private treatment, borrow money from family and friends, or use their pensions or benefits to cover costs.”
The Need for Reform
The watchdog has made a number of recommendations, including calling for the NHS Business Services Authority to publish monthly progress data on the 700,000 urgent appointments target. As part of dental contract reform, it says the government should introduce a legal right for people to register with an NHS dentist to improve access, strengthen prevention and patient pathways, and support long-term planning. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This government inherited a NHS dental system decayed after years of neglect. We are working hard to turn things around, rolling out extra urgent dental appointments and reforming the dental contract to increase capacity and get more NHS dentists on the frontline. There is more to do but this government is determined to fix Britain’s broken dental sector.” The government has committed to delivering 700,000 additional urgent appointments a year through to 2028-29, and it is essential that they follow through on this commitment to address the crisis in dental care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the crisis in dental care in England is a pressing issue that requires immediate attention. The denial of emergency dental care to patients in need is unacceptable and has led to individuals resorting to risky self-treatment. The government must take action to address the shortage of NHS dentists and ensure that patients have access to timely and effective care. The recommendations made by Healthwatch England, including the publication of monthly progress data on the urgent appointments target and the introduction of a legal right to register with an NHS dentist, are essential steps towards improving access to dental care. It is crucial that the government prioritizes the reform of the dental contract and increases capacity to get more NHS dentists on the frontline to address the crisis in dental care.