More than half of Bedford dental patients not seen in two years

More than half of adults in Bedford have not been to a dentist in the last two years, figures show.

The British Dental Association said access to dental practices has collapsed across England, and warned the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the nation's oral health will be felt "for years to come".

Figures from NHS Digital show 64,107 people aged 18 and over were seen by a dentist or orthodontist in Bedford in the two years to the end of December – just 48 per cent of the area's adult population.

This means 52 per cent had not been seen by a dentist within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's recommended longest interval between check-ups.

This was up from 45 per cent not seen in the two years to December 31 2019.

Though dental practices resumed face-to-face care in June, the BDA said the gaps required between patient appointments to prevent transmission have "radically reduced" capacity.

It is calling on the Government to invest in mechanical ventilation to help increase patient numbers safely, as has been done in Wales and Northern Ireland.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the organisation, said: "Access has collapsed, public health programmes suspended, and many practices have been pushed to the brink.

"Serious investment in prevention is needed now, alongside real support for the services millions depend on."

The maximum recommended interval for children is shorter, at just 12 months, and the NHS figures show fewer under-18s are also being seen by dentists than normal.

In Bedford, 12,403 youngsters were seen in 2020 – down from 22,844 the year before – meaning just 30 per cent of children went to the dentist last year.

The BDA warned the impact of sugar-rich lockdown diets, poor access to care and the suspension of public health programmes – many of which are school-run – will come at a "terrible cost" to the most deprived communities.

Mr Crouch said the "shameful inequalities" between the dental health of the rich and the poor will only widen unless the Government intervenes.

NHS figures also show just 3.2 million courses of treatment were delivered across England in the first half of the 2020-21 financial year, compared to 19 million the year before.

In Bedford, 9,359 courses of treatment were provided by dental practices between April and September – 85 per cent less than over the same period in 2019.

Since January 1, the Government has imposed financial targets that will penalise practices if they fail to hit 45 per cent of their pre-pandemic activity targets.

But the BDA has refused to sign up to them, seeing them as unrealistic, and MPs have warned they will force practices to prioritise "volume over need".

An NHS spokesman said strict infection control rules mean many services have been disrupted, but that these targets are fair to dental teams.

He added: “Dentists have been prioritising children’s care and treatment for those patients in urgent need, in part through the rapid establishment of 600 urgent dental centres across England."

A Department of Health and Social care spokesman said the Government was encouraging the food and drink industry to reduce sugar, and will ban TV adverts before 9pm for certain unhealthy foods.

He added: “We are supporting the dental sector and continue to work in lockstep with the NHS to safely increase patient numbers across England."