Ministers have been accused of abandoning plans to send dentists in vans around the country in an effort to address a shortage of dental workers.
The vehicles, which are equipped to provide mobile care to rural communities, were announced this year as part of a government effort to allow more people to receive care.
Research has suggested that around nine in ten NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult patients, leaving around one in five people without care.
Last year, a House of Commons health committee published a report concluding that NHS dentistry was “totally unacceptable in the 21st century” and had led some patients to extract their teeth with pliers.
In February, the Government unveiled its emergency plan to improve dental care, which also included £20,000 cash incentives for dentists moving to underserved areas.
The vehicles, which are equipped to provide mobile care to rural communities, were announced this year as part of a government effort to allow more people to receive care (file image).
BDA chairman Eddie Crouch (pictured) said: “All the MPs who boasted to their constituents about these vans will have to wait to see what ‘non-van solutions’ this Government can come up with.”
In February, the Government unveiled its emergency plan to improve dental care, which also included £20,000 cash incentives for dentists moving to underserved areas.
It offered one-off bonuses of up to £50 to treat patients who had been waiting for NHS dental care for at least two years.
However, The Mail on Sunday has seen articles suggesting the plan to use so-called dental vans is now in doubt.
A procurement document published by NHS England last month said there was a “limited availability” of dental vans, as well as dentists to run them.
He added that the NHS was now exploring “non-van solutions” to work alongside vehicles.
The British Dental Association (BDA) said the revelations were a “new low” for the Government, which they say is failing to tackle the UK’s dental crisis.
“All the MPs who boasted to their constituents about these vans will have to wait and see what ‘non-van solutions’ this Government can come up with,” says BDA president Eddie Crouch.
‘This is pure farce. The Prime Minister has pledged to restore NHS dentistry.
“The reality is a plan without new money, without ambitions, and now there are not even vans.”
Research has suggested that around nine in ten NHS dental practices are not accepting new adult patients, leaving around one in five people without care (file image)
Last year, a House of Commons health committee published a report concluding that NHS dentistry was “totally unacceptable in the 21st century” and had led some patients to extract their teeth with pliers (file image )
Visiting an NHS dentist is not free, but it is highly subsidized by the government, making it significantly cheaper than private dental care.
In England, NHS patients pay £25.80 for a check-up, scale and polish (if necessary) and x-rays. If they went private, they would pay between £40 and £75 for the check, between £90 and £130 for a scale and polishing and between £10 and £20 for each x-ray, which could result in a bill of £225.
For fillings or root canal work, the NHS charge is approximately £70 in England. Private root canals average £320. However, an increasing number of dentists are no longer treating NHS patients and instead offer private treatment only.
This is largely due to long-standing problems with the NHS contract for dentists which the BDA says does not offer professionals enough money.
The number of NHS dentists in England is now at its lowest level in a decade, around 23,000. This is almost 700 fewer than last year and more than 1,100 fewer than pre-pandemic numbers.
Last year, more than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care, according to official figures.
The Government’s strategy, known as the dental recovery plan, also included adding natural mineral fluoride to tap water in some parts of the country, to prevent cavities and encouraging daycares to teach children how to brush their teeth.
The NHS was now exploring ‘non-van solutions’ to work alongside vehicles (file image)
The data suggests that since the plan was announced, there has been little improvement in access to care. The Mail on Sunday revealed in September 2023 that a record 85,000 patients flooded the NHS 111 helpline seeking urgent dental care. Since then, this figure has continued to rise: in April, more than 88,000 people called NHS 111 with dental problems.
Vijay Sudra, a Birmingham-based dentist, has not seen or heard of dental vans in operation anywhere. He said: “The Government should offer attractive contracts to dentists in underserved areas of the country rather than using these glorified ice cream vans.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We are fully committed to deploying dental vans as part of our plans to improve patient access in areas where getting an appointment is more difficult, including rural and coastal communities.
“Through our dental recovery plan, we are boosting the sector and creating 2.5 million more appointments through initiatives such as cash incentives for dentists who take on new patients and £20,000 golden greetings for those who are going to work in underserved areas.
