AN ULVERSTON resident has been told she needs to go to Lancaster to join a dentist after her former provider retired pre-pandemic.

Eleanor Fisher has been trying to get a new dentist for six months in the Ulverston area, being informed by a number of practices that they are 'taking on no new patients'.

The 77-year-old want told that she could try some practices in Lancaster but at the age of 77 she does not want to travel an hour to get treatment each time.

She has tried practices in Barrow, Dalton, and Kendal as well but had no luck.

"I have lived in the area for 45 years and it is impossible to get an appointment with a dentist," the Priory Road resident said.

"Some of my teeth are chipped and I really need treatment.

"One tooth has been broken for six months now and I have been looking for an appointment for all this time.

"All I get is a recommendation of a place where they can take the teeth out, but I want one who will do some work and fix them."

Some reports suggest some people could be waiting up to 2024 for a dentist appointment and Healthwatch England said they have seen an increase in the number of people sharing their experience of trying to access NHS dental care. They have also seen the proportion of positive feedback about dentistry fall sharply.

Ms Fisher said she did not even attempt to try and get an NHS dentist because she knew that was 'basically impossible' to get but was surprised to see how hard it was to get a private dentist. Her worry is that dental health could return to that of the pre-NHS days and those moving to the area that may find themselves in a similar situation.

"It's just plain wrong that necessary services are no longer available to people who have lived in the area for so long and in that case what chance have the new influx of people to the area got of acquiring these services," she said.

"Dentistry should not be considered an 'optional extra.'"