More than a million working age people haven’t seen a dentist in over two years, according to an analysis of ONS data for England.
The analysis found that 1.2 million working age people who have an NHS dentist or go to a dental hospital have not had an appointment in over two years.
Among the total population of England, 12 percent, or 5.7 million, do not have a dentist at all. Within this total, 4.9 million are of working age meaning a huge chunk of the workforce is missing out on essential oral health care.
The figures were calculated by consultants Broadstone using data from the ONS survey titled ‘Experiences of NHS Healthcare Services in England’.
Further findings show that the regions in England with the highest proportion of individuals without a dentist are the South West (16.9 percent) and the North East and Yorkshire (13.7 percent). In the East of England the percentage is 11.6 percent, while the North West, and Midlands reported that 11.4 percent of the working age population were without a dentist.
In the South East this percentage is 10.8 percent, while London has the lowest proportion at 10.1 percent.
Emily Jones, client consulting director at Broadstone, said: “These findings shine a light on a growing and concerning issue around access to dentistry in England. Oral health is a critical foundation of overall wellbeing, and untreated dental issues can lead to more severe health risks, from infections and sleep disruption to cardiovascular problems.
“It’s worrying to see that millions of people are going more than two years before seeing their dentist, potentially missing out on important oral cancer or gum disease checks. The data also demonstrates the significant numbers of people who don’t have a dentist and are struggling to access an appointment when they try.”
She said that given this dental care gap, particularly among the working age population, many employers now recognise the importance of including dental benefits.
Jones added: “There are few signs so far of the government making progress in improving access to NHS dentistry.
“It’s important therefore that, as employers adjust to higher national insurance and minimum wage costs, they don’t take their eye ‘off the ball’ when it comes to the provision of healthcare benefits that improve access to care, promote overall health for the workforce, boost productivity and help reduce the strain on NHS services.”
