BDA: Dentists need support

Dentists and primary care trusts need to be supported by the government if access for patients is to be improved, the British Dental Association (BDA) has said.

The association's comments follow a survey by Citizens Advice which found that over seven million people have not had an appointment with a dentist since April 2006, when reforms to NHS dentistry were implemented.

Nearly one in three respondents said they had not seen a dentist as they had not been able to find one to treat them.

Susie Sanderson, chair of the BDA's executive board, said the survey "highlights once again the significant number of people who would like to access NHS dentistry but are unable to do so".

"It is clear that the new dental contract has, so far, not achieved the stated aim of improving access to NHS care," she added.

"The government recently announced a much-needed 11 per cent boost in funding for NHS dentistry and set itself the target of increasing the number of patients able to access the service.

"To ensure this funding makes a real difference, it's vital that primary care trusts engage positively with dentists and also have the expertise and support required to meet the dental needs of their local communities."