Access to dental care ‘must be a priority’- Derry Colr.

Responding to the ‘staggering findings’ of a BBC investigation on the number of dental practices that aren’t accepting new patients, she said:

“The findings of this investigation are concerning. Almost 90% of practices in the north are not accepting adults and children for dental care.

“Ensuring people can see a dentist when they need one through the NHS must be the priority, not based on their ability to pay for private treatment.

“Plans by the Department of Health to develop a scheme to improve access to urgent and emergency dental care for unregistered patients must also be progressed, alongside a strategy for oral health.

“We need an Executive up and running now to deliver a clear plan to recruit more dentists and dental nurses. The DUP should stop holding that work up and form a government now.”

The BBC research revealed that nine in ten NHS dental practices here are unable to offer appointments to new adult patients.

The BDA has now pressed the government to step up and deliver urgent reform as the survey revealed 246 of 274 practices in the north were unble to take on new adult patients and 88% not accepting new child patients.