Patients ‘abandoned’ after NHS dental services cease in Torrington

Residents of Torrington are up in arms after NHS dental provision was said to have ‘collapsed’ in the town.

Many angry patients claim they and their children have been ‘removed’ from the NHS list and transferred to private-only provision by practice ‘mydentist’.

The practice said no-one had been removed from the NHS list but it was trying to recruit another dentist to provide NHS services.

READ MORE: Government ‘chief dentist’ meets group tackling North Devon’s dental crisis

Liberal Democrat county councillor for Torrington Rural Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin is demanding urgent action from NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, which is responsible for commissioning local NHS dental services, after being flooded with concerns from locals.

One worried mother, Hannah Harris, said: “I have two young children who were always seen under the NHS, but now we’ve been told we have to pay privately.

“It’s simply unaffordable for us as a family, and I’m scared about what will happen to my children’s teeth if they can’t be seen. We feel abandoned.”

Another who responded to Cllr Cottle-Hunkin’s post on Facebook said they had not seen a dentist for three years because all their check-up appointments with mydentist had been cancelled.

“When I asked why, the excuse was they were still catching up from Covid times… my appointment was rescheduled to May this year from 18 months ago and yet again they cancelled it and they’re still using the same excuse,” said the resident.

Others on social media have highlighted the gap in NHS dentistry across North Devon. One said her husband had been on the waiting list for seven years.

“It’s ridiculous but we can’t afford private so he just doesn’t see anyone unless it’s an emergency,” they said.

Above: Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin says NHS dental provision needs to be urgently restored in Torrington. Credit: Devon County Council

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin has also written to Conservative MP for Torridge and Tavistock Sir Geoffrey Cox over the matter.

She said in her letter to health bosses: “This situation is unacceptable. NHS dentistry is supposed to be accessible to all, yet here in Great Torrington, residents have been left high and dry. 

“I’ve been contacted by parents and pensioners alike who simply cannot afford private fees. We urgently need answers and action from NHS Devon ICB to restore NHS provision locally and to set out a clear plan for improving access across Devon.

“Oral health is a fundamental part of overall health. Devon residents deserve NHS dental care, not a postcode lottery. I will continue pressing for urgent improvements to protect the health and wellbeing of our communities.”

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin has asked the NHS Devon ICB to urgently confirm what immediate steps will be taken to restore NHS dental provision in Torrington, how children will be guaranteed access to NHS dental care locally and what wider action is being taken to tackle the county-wide dental access crisis.

A spokesperson for the Torrington mydentist practice said a clinician at the practice has made ‘the difficult decision to stop delivering NHS dentistry’.

“We are doing everything we can to recruit a replacement,” they said.

“Patients have the option to continue seeing this clinician privately. No patient is being removed from the NHS waiting list and they will remain on the waitlist until a new NHS dentist has been recruited.”

READ MORE: 'DIY dentistry': North Devon woman pulled her own teeth out as she couldn’t find a dentist

The town’s other surgery, Torrington Dental Practice, says on its website it is currently unable to accept new NHS patients and its private waiting list is temporarily closed.

It says it has have been operating at full capacity under its NHS contract for approximately 15 years.