UK public predicts a deterioration in the nation’s oral health

The UK public has little faith in the future of NHS dental care, a recent survey by health and dental plan provider HSA has revealed.

In fact, just over half of the respondents believe it’s only a matter of time before NHS dentistry disappears altogether. Plus, 61% of respondents believe that the state of oral health in the UK will deteriorate in the future. These concerns have been revealed by a questionnaire into the views of over 1,000 consumers on the state of UK dentistry today.

Stuart Mahoney, a spokesperson for HSA explains: “It’s worrying that the changes made last year to improve NHS dentistry have not instilled faith in the UK public that their dental needs will be efficiently cared for. What’s more alarming is that only 36% of people believe the government consider NHS dentistry to be important. This perhaps explains why so many people are no longer regularly visiting an NHS dentist, with 1 in 5 of people not visiting a dentist at all, and a further 1 in 5 accessing a private dentist according to our research.”

HSA has also revealed today:

37% of people find the new system more expensive, 23% find the system less accessible and 19% think it is more confusing
22% of people are visiting a private dentist because they could not find an NHS dentist in their area
24% of respondents believe a slimmed down NHS service will exist in the future but with limited access
58% of respondents are not aware of the changes made to NHS contracts and fee structure on 1 April 2006
61% of individuals think that looking after your oral health is still affordable

Dr Nigel Carter, Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, says: “It is a concern that people have such little faith in the NHS dentistry system. Certainly it has been a difficult time but the flow of practitioners leaving the NHS does appear to have stopped. Private dentistry is not always as expensive as people might think and it is worth remembering that it opens the doors to many treatments that simply aren’t available on the NHS – such as white fillings on back teeth. Regardless of people’s views on the NHS system, regular visits to the dentist are absolutely vital. As well as providing advice and treatment for all manner of oral health problems, dentists are trained to spot early signs of mouth cancer – a condition that kills one person every five hours in the UK alone.”

Starting from just £7 a month, the HSA Dental Plan offers money back, up to an annual limit on dental maintenance, treatment and emergency cover. The plan has 3 premium levels, suitable for NHS or private access, to help individuals and families manage the cost of dental care.

For further information about the HSA Dental Plan, visit hsa.co.uk.