NHS dentistry is in a state of serious decay | Owen Jones

NHS dentistry is in a state of serious decay | Owen Jones The British Dental Association has revealed that many people postpone treatment because of its price, at great cost both to their teeth and to the NHS

Finally, some outrage about the national scandal that is dentistry. The health of our teeth matters, but dentistry has long been a neglected arm of the NHS. The British Dental Association has just revealed that 600,000 people have made futile appointments with GPs over dental problems in a year, at a cost to the NHS of £26m. It’s a statistic that has provoked mockery – one person tweeted: “I wonder if the 600,000 people a year who go to the GP for dental care ask electricians to fix their roofs as well?” But it is not the patients who should be shamed – it is the government.

One in seven children haven’t visited a dentist by their eighth birthday Continue reading... The Guardian