In response to the figures published recently as part of NHS Dental Statistics for England, 2021-22, Biannual Report, the Association of Dental Groups (ADG) have shared a statement.
Neil Carmichael, Chair of the ADG said, “The dental profession is doing what it can to try to meet the needs of patients, especially children across the country. They have stepped up to the challenge of providing treatment in a pandemic.
“But behind this data there is a clear problem – we cannot offer more people NHS treatment without more dentists.
“In the year to March 2021 the NHS lost a record 951 NHS dentists in England. Our estimates are that we could be seeing a similar exodus this year. The number of NHS dentists working in England is set to reach a decade low.
“More must be done to attract people into the profession from home and abroad otherwise we are going to see more serious gaps in access to treatment across England and we will never recover the backlog of patient care from the past two years.”