BDA: Teeth checks vital
Friday, 01 Aug 2008 15:27
Having regular appointments with a dentist can prevent future serious problems, the British Dental Association (BDA) has said.
It is concerned that there are large numbers of people in England who do not have their teeth checked by a dentist.
The numbers were uncovered by a poll for the Healthcare Commission, which revealed that nationally just over a quarter (26 per cent) of people do not see an NHS or private dentist on a regular basis.
In some NHS trusts this was as high as 43 per cent of survey respondents.
Susie Sanderson, chair of the BDA's executive board, said the findings provide "yet another powerful message about the state of NHS dentistry".
"The concern highlighted by the Healthcare Commission is that real problems for patients could be being stored up for the future," she added.
"It's vital that urgent action is taken to tackle the flaws in the current NHS arrangements for dentistry.
"We also need to start looking carefully about what is meant by access to an NHS dentist and recognising the importance of the continuity of care."