NHS dentist crisis: Bradford parents forced to go private

Danielle Barron, who lives in Barkerend, has been ringing round dentist practices across the district and Leeds area since her two children were aged one.

Almost five years have passed since those first calls and her children still don’t have a dentist.

She is just one of many people struggling to sign up as a new patient on the NHS.

She told the Telegraph & Argus: “It’s absolutely ridiculous how no dentists at all are taking NHS patients especially young children.

“I have been trying for many months now to get my two kids into a dentist to have check up’s and I'm being turned away every time and told it’s private only.

“Being on benefits I can’t afford private, especially if my children needed any work doing to their teeth.

“The prices are stupid.

“They should make a dentist just for NHS patients and children.”

Almost all of Bradford's dentist practices are not taking on new NHS patients. Picture: PA

Another mum from Woodside, who did not wish to be named, was forced to pay for private care for her 15-year-old daughter.

She was taken off her dentist’s NHS patients’ list at random, leading to an almost eight year long search to find a new NHS dentist.

She now has to pay a monthly payment plan as a private patient.

Check up’s cost £60 while hygienist treatment costs £90.

Her mum said: “A commitment I didn't want, but [the] only way I can afford my daughter's dental treatment.

“Something needs doing drastically. My daughter is terrified of dentists and her teeth are in terrible condition.

“The general advice is to check NHS online for dentists accepting patients, however these are not updated and you find yourself ringing round to no avail. Some dentists are extremely rude when you ask.”

It comes after new analysis from the British Dental Association and the BBC found 98 per cent of Bradford-based NHS dental practices were not taking new adult NHS patients.

For Philip Davies MP (Shipley, Conservative), dealing with the dentistry crisis must be a priority for the nation’s next Prime Minister and Health Secretary.

The MP said: “Everything needs to be looked at such as the contracts for NHS dentists, the number of people in training to become a dentist and a bond to ensure that anyone who trains as a dentist has to remain in the NHS for a specific number of years before they can move to the private sector.

“The current situation is completely unacceptable.”

How are other people in Bradford finding NHS dental care? 

Saiqa Ahmed said: "They can take patients - but soon as you say NHS, it’s a different story."

Hanzala Khan said: "When I was using an NHS dentist I had to go as far as Bury for my appointments as there were none in Bradford taking NHS patients. System is broken."

Charlotte Terry said: “It's sad that this is happening and down right shocking. Going private is not an option for everyone.”

The NHS logo. Picture: PA

Olivia Jane said: “Been trying for two years, I had to go to a private one in the end.”

Zoë Hogan-Stead said: “None available. I had to register with a private one.”

Natalie Eastbury said: “It’s really bad in Bradford to find a dentist.”

Sarah Francis said: “Ridiculous. It’s not just as easy as brushing and staying on top of oral hygiene. People like myself that have underlying health conditions that can lead to your teeth rotting as well as staining. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink coffee but my auto immune disease caused my teeth to go brittle. It’s so hard to deal with and just to see a private dentist for like £60-£250 each time for various things is just not possible. Seriously considering going to Turkey.”

What has the NHS said?

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Improving patient access to NHS dental care is a government priority and the new reforms to the dental contract announced last month are an important step, allowing the best performing practices to see more patients, making better use of the range of professionals working in the sector such as dental therapists, hygienists and nurses, while also rewarding dentists more fairly for providing more complex care.”

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