Bupa Dental Care has announced it will be cutting 85 dental practices due to a decline in recruitment, including four in the North East.

The 85 closures are set to affect around 1,200 staff across the UK. 

Bupa said the decision came amid patients at the affected practices not being able to access the NHS dental service they need.

Bupa, which provides NHS and private dental care, said the 85 practices will be closed, sold or merged later this year, bringing the total number of practices in the UK down to 365.

All the practices will remain open as usual in the meantime.

The move will affect 1,200 employed and self-employed staff, representing more than a tenth of its 9,000-strong workforce.

This includes dental practices in Sunderland, Bishop Auckland, Shildon, and Stockton.

Bupa said it would redeploy affected staff where possible to different areas of the business.

The provider added it had not been able to recruit enough dentists to deliver NHS care in many practices for months and in some cases years due to national shortages. 

This has been worsened by the NHS contract model and increased demand and complexity of care since the Covid pandemic.

The industry has also been affected by inflation and higher energy prices, increasing the cost to run patient services.

General manager for Bupa Dental Care, Mark Allan, said: “As a leading dental provider in the UK, our priority must be to enable patients to receive the care they need.

“For the majority of affected practices, this decision will allow commissioners to procure local providers for the NHS contract, tailoring services and investment to the needs of the local community, thereby providing a better opportunity for patients to continue access to NHS dental services.”

The Northern Echo: Bupa dental care is set to close 85 practices across the UK.Bupa dental care is set to close 85 practices across the UK. (Image: PA,)

Bupa said it would be handing back the dental contract to the NHS for practices that are set to close meaning commissioners can find a new provider to continue treating patients in the area.

Mr Allan added: “We fully understand the impact today’s decision has on our patients and our people within these practices.

“This decision has not been taken lightly and closure is a last resort.

“Despite our continued efforts, the dental industry is facing a number of significant and systemic challenges that are placing additional pressure on providing patient care, in particular recruiting dentists to deliver NHS dental care.”

Here is a full list of the dental practices that will be closing. 

Bupa dental practices closing

  • Bupa Dental Care Pontefract
  • Bupa Dental Care Rochdale
  • Bupa Dental Care York
  • Bupa Dental Care Bolsover
  • Bupa Dental Care Shildon
  • Bupa Dental Care Sunderland
  • Bupa Dental Care Harleston
  • Bupa Dental Care Gloucester
  • Bupa Dental Care Ripon
  • Bupa Dental Care Cleveleys
  • Bupa Dental Care Skegness
  • Bupa Dental Care Oakley Vale
  • Bupa Dental Care Waterlooville
  • Bupa Dental Care Barrow in Furness
  • Bupa Dental Care Bishop Auckland – Market Place
  • Bupa Dental Care Brandon
  • Bupa Dental Care Eye
  • Bupa Dental Care Stockton
  • Bupa Dental Care Sturry
  • Bupa Dental Care Bristol – St Pauls
  • Bupa Dental Care Wolverhampton
  • Bupa Dental Care Poole
  • Bupa Dental Care Folkestone
  • Bupa Dental Care Tewkesbury
  • Connaught Village Dentistry
  • Bupa Dental Care Leckhampton
  • Bupa Dental Care Thames Ditton
  • Manchester Cheadle Dental and Implant Clinic
  • White Dental
  • Bupa Dental Care Holborn
  • Bupa Dental Care Manchester Square
  • Total Orthodontics Wokingham
  • Total Orthodontics Marlow
  • Total Orthodontics Camberley
  • Bupa Dental Care Blackpool Station Road
  • Bupa Dental Care Leslie
  • Total Orthodontics Downpatrick
  • Bupa Dental Care Omagh Campsie Road

Dental practices under review

  • Bupa Dental Care Addlestone
  • Bupa Dental Care Ashton-in-Makerfield
  • Bupa Dental Care Boston
  • Bupa Dental Care Brampton
  • Bupa Dental Care Burton on Trent
  • Bupa Dental Care Cove Bay
  • Bupa Dental Care Crewkerne
  • Bupa Dental Care Denbigh
  • Bupa Dental Care Egremont
  • Bupa Dental Care Erdington
  • Bupa Dental Care Evington
  • Bupa Dental Care Hereford
  • Bupa Dental Care Hucknall
  • Bupa Dental Care Kendal
  • Bupa Dental Care Keswick
  • Bupa Dental Care Kingseat
  • Bupa Dental Care Liskeard
  • Bupa Dental Care Lydney
  • Bupa Dental Care Marden
  • Bupa Dental Care Maryport
  • Bupa Dental Care Netherfield
  • Bupa Dental Care Newport Shropshire
  • Bupa Dental Care North Lakeland
  • Bupa Dental Care North Walsham
  • Bupa Dental Care Penge
  • Bupa Dental Care Penrhyn
  • Bupa Dental Care Plymouth
  • Bupa Dental Care Preston
  • Bupa Dental Care Redditch
  • Bupa Dental Care Rhyl
  • Bupa Dental Care Rise Park
  • Bupa Dental Care Rustington
  • Bupa Dental Care Ryde
  • Bupa Dental Care Seaford
  • Bupa Dental Care Sleaford
  • Bupa Dental Care Stroud
  • Bupa Dental Care Sutton-in-Ashfield
  • Bupa Dental Care Wellingborough
  • Bupa Dental Care Woolston
  • Bupa Dental Care Worcester City
  • Metamorphosis Orthodontics
  • Total Orthodontics Colwyn Bay
  • Total Orthodontics Wigan
  • Wrexham Dental Implant Clinic

Planned mergers

  • Bupa Dental Care 590 Hull Holderness Road
  • Bupa Dental Care Southport
  • Bupa Dental Care Mintlaw

This news follows reports that people have turned to performing dental procedures on themselves amid a backlog in dental care.

The British Dental Association said the service is “approaching the end of the road” unless the Government and opposition outline a clear plan to reform and properly fund NHS dentistry.