Impact of pandemic on Wigan patients' dental care revealed

The British Dental Association said the pandemic has exacerbated longstanding problems in NHS dentistry, with millions of appointments lost due to ongoing infection control measures.

NHS Digital data reveal 71,000 dental treatments were given to NHS patients in Wigan - an area with more than its share of dental hygiene issues - between June 2020 and March this year: a 74 per cent drop from 271,000 in the same period the previous year.

Among these treatments, 18,200 were delivered to children, down 76 per cent from 77,100 in 2019-20.

Dental practices were told to halt all routine dental care from March 25 until June 8 last year, when they reopened with strict infection control rules due to Covid-19.

These included leaving time after certain procedures and social distancing requirements.

In January, the Government told NHS dentists they should deliver 45 per cent of their pre-pandemic activity, rising to 60 per cent in April.

But the BDA said capacity across dental services remains low, with around half the NHS practices in England not meeting targets.

Shawn Charlwood, chairman of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said: “Millions are still missing out on dental care, and patients will be paying the price for years to come, adding that the target-based approach is “driving low morale” among staff. Dentists in England have had capacity slashed by pandemic restrictions and need help to get patients back through their doors.

“Sadly, while every other UK nation has committed funds, Westminster chose to impose targets that thousands of practices are now struggling to hit.

“But even before Covid there simply wasn’t enough NHS dentistry to go round.”

Across England, there were 23,700 NHS dentists in 2020-21, 951 fewer than the year before – the first drop in four years.

Within the NHS Wigan CCG, the health body covering Wigan, the number of dentists offering NHS treatment dropped by 15, to 197 over the same period.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 for your first month. Try us today by clicking here and viewing our offers.