MP pledges action on North Devon’s NHS dental crisis

It’s no secret that NHS dentistry in North Devon is facing one of the most challenging times in its history.

Even before the pandemic, access to NHS dental care was poor, but the issues have since worsened. I was genuinely shocked to see the latest ONS data showing that 97 per cent of people without a dentist who tried to access NHS dental care in England couldn’t get an appointment. 

Even more worrying, a fifth of them were in pain. 

Given this, I shouldn’t have been surprised to find that people in North Devon are turning to DIY dentistry...yet I was. 

These kinds of situations belong to the Victorian era, and we absolutely cannot accept this as the norm. 

That’s why, as North Devon’s MP, I’m using every bit of influence I have to make tackling the dental crisis in our area a top priority.

Being appointed as Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dentistry and Oral Health was already a good step forward. 

This cross-party group brings together MPs and Lords to tackle the dentistry crisis and will offer me a valuable platform to highlight the unique challenges faced by rural areas like North Devon.

It’s increasingly clear to me that, once again, North Devon is being left behind when it comes to access to NHS dental care. 

Modest pay rises or incremental funding increases simply won’t solve the deeply rooted issues we face. 

Recruitment and retention are significant challenges, as newly qualified dentists tend to gravitate towards cities and urban hubs, leaving rural communities underserved. 

It has been reported that over half of all practices in Devon currently have a vacancy, and this is likely to be even higher within the North Devon area.

This is exactly why I recently launched the North Devon Dental Steering Group, bringing together ICB leaders, NHS dentists, dental consultants, local councillors, and other key stakeholders. 

Although we discussed national, systemic issues, like the flawed NHS dental contract and the underfunding of dental care, our primary focus was on identifying practical, local solutions to facilitate progress.

The inaugural meeting, which I chaired on November 18, was an extremely productive one. With the breadth of expertise there, we developed constructive ideas and plans for the future. 

Amongst other areas of focus were fast-tracked dental treatment for cancer patients, more oral health promotion through school visits, and the potential for dental training pathways in our local schools or colleges. 

If we are able to implement these initiatives, then this would go a good way in increasing access to NHS dentistry in North Devon and reducing oral health inequalities within our local communities.

I know that undoing years of neglect and mismanagement of NHS dentistry under the Conservative government won’t be easy - I’m under no illusion about that. 

But I feel genuinely optimistic about the potential that the North Devon Dental Steering Group has to enact some positive, noticeable change.

By working together and thinking innovatively, we may have an opportunity to set local success stories that could serve as models for other struggling areas like ours. 

I will continue to update everyone on our progress and will remain committed to fighting for the improvements that our community desperately needs.