New Data Suggests That 40% of Londoners Haven’t Seen a Dentist in 2 Years
In September 2024, figures released by the NHS and analysed by the Standard showed that 39.2% of adults in London had not seen a dentist in 24 months (from 2022 to 2024). These figures are no surprise due to the massive changes in NHS dentistry over the last couple of years after the pandemic, leading to dental deserts across the UK.
In recent years, thousands of dentists have left the NHS, bringing the number to its lowest level in 10 years. The number of dentists providing NHS treatment fell from 23,733 at the end of 2020 to 21,544 at the end of January 2022.
The British Dental Association (BDA) warned that:
- 75% of dentists were likely to reduce their NHS commitment over the next 12 months.
- 45% of dentists reported they were going fully private.
- 47% of dentists reported they were changing careers or seeking retirement.
The shortage of NHS dentists, causing larger-than-normal waiting lists, has made it nearly impossible for patients to access an NHS dentist or find a dental practice in London willing to accept new patients. This has led to higher searches and research around the costs of going private. And while dentists do not want to impact patient care directly, many are now being forced out of the NHS for their own survival.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting commented that fixing dentistry was a “matter of urgency” and promised to provide a “serious plan” to reform NHS dental contracts, which caused the mass exodus of NHS dentists in the first place.
What the data revealed for Londoners:
Statistics for the number of patients who hadn’t seen a London dentist in 2 years:
- 37% of people in north-east
- 37% of people in south-west London
- 38% of north-central London patients
- 41% of north-west London patients
- 43% of south-east London patients
Nationally, the figures were worrying too, with only 40.3% of adults being treated by an NHS dentist, a drop of 9% compared to the previous two years (2019). The statistics for children not being seen by an NHS dentist also dropped considerably.
The BDA analysis of GP Survey Data also found that England’s unmet need for NHS dentistry now stood at 13 million, compared to four million before the pandemic.
Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association (BDA), said: “The reality is the recovery has stalled, and a new government needs to offer real change to give this service a future.”
Were you one of the patients in London unable to visit the dentist in the last 2 years?
While Labour has pledged to create 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments a year, until that promise is met, patients are forced to find their own London dentist and pay for their treatment privately.
However, as private London dentists in Elephant & Castle, we know that a trip to the dentist is not always on our patients’ to-do list, especially if they have to fork out extra costs now, too. But not going to the dentist at all is not the right idea.
To prevent more extensive dental problems caused by decay later down the line, patients are encouraged to visit the dentist at least every 12 months to keep bigger problems at bay, which will cost them more money anyway.
If you don’t go to the dentist now, you’ll likely have to pay more when you visit—and no one wants that. While we understand affordability is a big problem for many patients in London, there are options out there that can help them attain the care they need, like 0% dental finance, for example. If your treatment costs more than £350, you can spread the cost over 3, 6, 10 and 12 months with no additional cost of credit.
