Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Face Growing NHS Dentistry Crisis

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is highlighting growing concerns about access to NHS dental services, as new national reporting reveals the scale of the crisis across England.

Recent analysis has identified large parts of the country as “dental deserts”, where access to NHS care is extremely limited. In some areas, patients have reported being unable to access treatment for long periods, with distressing accounts of individuals resorting to pulling out their own teeth due to pain and lack of available care. 

While these findings focus on the national picture, we continue to hear from residents locally who are facing similar barriers.

A national crisis affecting local communities

Across England, millions of people are now struggling to access NHS dental care. Estimates suggest that around 18 million adults and children are unable to secure an appointment, with fewer than half of adults having seen a dentist in the past two years. 

At the same time, many practices are no longer accepting new NHS patients, with reports (not conducted by Healthwatch) indicating that up to 96% of practices have closed their lists to new adult patients. 

As a result, more people are turning to private dentistry. Recent external data shows that around one third of people in England have used private dental services, often because NHS care is simply unavailable. 

This is contributing to a growing “two-tier” system, where access to care increasingly depends on the ability to pay.

The situation in our area

Locally, access to dental services remains a significant concern.

The aforementioned data suggests that across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, a large proportion of residents have not seen a dentist in recent years, with many travelling long distances to access care or being unable to register with an NHS practice at all. 

Residents continue to tell us about:

• Difficulties finding an NHS dentist accepting new patients
• Long waiting times for appointments
• Being forced to seek private care due to lack of NHS availability

What people are telling us

We consistently collect feedback from local people about their experiences of health and care services. In the last six months we heard from:

• 64 people who shared feedback with us about dental care
• Of these, 77.8% reported a negative experience*

^{(*Out of 63 responses, 49 (77.8%) were negative, 6 (9.5%) were positive, 6 (9.5%) were mixed, and 2 (3.2%) were neutral.)}

Common themes in this feedback include:

• Inability to access timely NHS appointments
• Concerns about affordability of private treatment
• Lack of clear information about available services

This feedback reflects the wider national picture and highlights the real impact the crisis is having on individuals and families.

Why is this happening?

This dental access crisis has developed over several years and is driven by several key factors:

• Workforce shortages, including fewer dentists delivering NHS care than before the pandemic
• Funding and contract issues, with many dentists reporting that NHS work is not financially sustainable
• Rising demand, alongside population growth and increasing oral health needs

Together, these pressures have resulted in reduced availability of NHS appointments and growing inequalities in access to care.

Government response: more dentists planned

The government has recently announced plans to increase the number of dentists able to practise in the UK.

Key measures include:

• Expanding registration routes for overseas-trained dentists
• Increasing exam capacity to allow more qualified dentists to join the workforce
• Adding additional training places for UK dental students

These changes could enable up to 2,400 additional dentists per year to practise in the UK by 2028/29. 

The intention is to improve access to appointments, particularly in areas with the greatest shortages.

However, some professional bodies have cautioned that increasing numbers alone may not fully resolve the issue without wider reform of NHS dental funding and contracts. 

What needs to happen next?

While the planned increase in dentist numbers is a positive step, there is widespread recognition that further action is needed to address the root causes of the crisis.

This includes:

• Improving access to NHS dental appointments locally
• Ensuring services are affordable and equitable
• Supporting the dental workforce to deliver NHS care
• Providing clear information to patients about how to access services

Share your experience

Healthwatch Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is committed to ensuring that local people’s voices are heard.

If you have experienced difficulties accessing dental care, we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us:

• Highlight issues to decision-makers
• Influence improvements to local services
• Ensure patient experiences are reflected in planning and policy

Final message

Access to dental care is a vital part of overall health and wellbeing. However, for many people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, getting the care they need remains a challenge.

We will continue to work with local partners and national organisations to raise these concerns and advocate for improvements.

If you are struggling to access dental care, you are not alone, and your voice matters. Share your experiences here.