Health officials have been asked how they are tackling the dentistry crisis as more dental practices ask patients to pay for treatment. 

The number of practices going private in County Durham and Darlington has increased, a council meeting heard.

People throughout the region have gone years without a dental appointment due to a significant backlog of appointments, huge waiting lists, and not enough practices. Stories of people fitting fillings and extracting their teeth without anaesthetic or professional training have become commonplace. 

The contract for dental services has been blamed for several problems in dentistry, including an exodus of NHS dentists and so-called dental deserts, where patients struggle to find NHS care close to where they live including in County Durham and Darlington. 

Children living in the most deprived areas are three times more likely to need rotten teeth removed in hospital, it has also been claimed. 

Speaking at a health and wellbeing scrutiny meeting in Durham, councillor Ken Robson said: “My dentist has gone private and is asking people to sign up to a £20 a month direct debit for dental treatment. Are we doing anything with this as far as NHS dentistry is concerned?”

Sarah Burns, director of local delivery at the NHS North East and North Cumbria, said work is ongoing to improve the service but greater improvements are needed.

“We recognise there are real, significant challenges,” she said.

“ We have talked about the national policy that has been put in place to attract dentists to areas that have under-provision and mobile services. 

“Reform is really needed for dental services. The dental contract is a challenge for dentists who work not just in County Durham but across the region. 

“There is a range of things we are doing to bring more dentists to the region and to help commission services for underserved areas, but it is absolutely recognised that it’s an ongoing challenge and a pressure.”

Millions of people in England have tried and failed to access an NHS dentist, according to leading members of the profession, while millions more have not even attempted to seek care due to dwindling confidence in securing an appointment. 

Analysis by the British Dental Association (BDA) suggests 13 million people – 28 per cent of England’s adult population – have an unmet need for NHS dentistry. The figure includes an estimated 5.6 million adults who have tried and failed to secure a dental appointment in the last two years.

Eddie Crouch, chairman of the British Dental Association (BDA), said: “Children in our poorest communities – who are also the least likely to see a dentist – remain the hardest hit.

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“We need urgent action, both to rescue NHS dentistry and to put promises on prevention in practice.”

Labour is reportedly considering reforming the NHS dental contract after years of issues. 

During the General Election campaign, Labour pledged to create 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments a year and to recruit new dentists in under-served areas.