AT LEAST half of dentists in the borough are not accepting new NHS adult patients and new data shows an increase in the number of dentists who stopped NHS work in the area in the last year.

The managing director of a Basingstoke dentist surgery has said the “system is broken” as they try to deal with a backlog of patients, while unions have warned NHS dentistry is “hanging by a thread” with some patients facing two-year waits for routine check-ups.

Data from NHS England shows that the Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) saw a reduction in 49 NHS dentists in the last year (2020-2021), representing a six per cent decrease from 768 to 719.

Over the last five years, the area has seen an eight per cent reduction in NHS dentists, which is 65 in total.

Read more: Dental practice director speaks of pressure staff are under

The figures show that roughly three quarters of dentists who stopped NHS work since 2017 did so in the last year.

The CCG had the joint third highest reduction in the number of NHS dentists in the last five years of all 106 CCGs, which showed that across England and Wales more than 2,500 dentists – up to eight per cent of the workforce – stopped treating NHS patients in 2020 to 2021.

In Basingstoke, of the 20 dentists listed as offering NHS treatment, none were listed as accepting new NHS adult patients.

Ten said they were not accepting NHS adult patients; three said they would only accept NHS patients who had been referred; and the remaining seven had not updated their information recently.

Of the 20 listed, two were accepting children as NHS patients.

Research carried out by the BBC found that more than 75 per cent of dental practices listed by the NHS had not updated their information within the last three months – making it impossible for most patients to accurately assess whether NHS services are being offered in the area.

Dr Anushika Brogan, managing director of Damira Dental Studios in South Ham, told the Gazette that the system is “broken”.

She said: “We have got a huge backlog of patients. Because of the way the NHS works you don’t get any extra money for NHS patients. You get one set fee. Because of the backlog you might have to do five fillings instead of one but only get one fee. If it was private, you would get the extra money. So there’s no incentive to treat NHS patients.

“They system is broken and this highlights how broken it is after the pandemic.”

Damira does treat NHS patients and Dr Brogan said they are working hard to try and get through the backlog of patients.

However, she said the phones are inundated with calls from people trying to access NHS treatment.

“If patients are seeking NHS care they are calling up and we can’t answer all the calls. Receptionists are getting shouted at and are leaving,” she said.

Asked what the solution is, she said: “The system has to change politically. We have known this for a long time the system has been broken. No one has actually done anything. Someone needs to fix this. People need to consult with practice owners like myself who have a good overview of what’s going on. I know what’s going on in the business we can help shape a new system.”

Dr Brogan said those who cannot afford private dentistry need to be prioritised, adding: “We have a certain amount of time allocated to NHS patients. We are a business, so you can get in earlier if you want to pay. But some people can’t afford private care. They are the ones who need to be prioritised.”

The British Dental Association (BDA) said unhappiness with the NHS dental contract was a key factor.

NHS England said patients who needed care the most should be prioritised, and said it had set up 600 urgent dental centres across England.

The BDA’s Shawn Charlwood warned significant numbers of dentists were planning on leaving the NHS.

“NHS dentistry is hanging by a thread, because without NHS dentists, there will be no NHS dentistry,” said Mr Charlwood.

“It’s a really serious situation and every dentist that is lost or every vacancy for NHS dentistry that remains unfilled affects thousands of patients in terms of care and their ability to access care.”

He added: “Every practice struggling to fill vacancies translates into thousands of patients unable to access care.

“Years of failed contracts and underfunding have meant a growing number of dentists no longer see the NHS as a place to build a career. The pandemic has upped the ante, and we are now facing down an exodus.

“Ministers have failed to grasp that we can’t have NHS dentistry without NHS dentists.

“Rather than punishing colleagues, we need a service that recognises and rewards commitment.”

Concern has also been raised about the usefulness of NHS England’s ‘Find a Dentist’ tool, which was created to help patients find an NHS dentist in their area.

Interim director of Healthwatch Chris McCann said getting up to date information as to where people can access service is a “real issue”.

“Information on practices on the NHS website can be out-dated,” he added. “We’ve seen some people having to contact up to 20 practices before finding someone to take them.”

Until last year, NHS dentists in England and Wales had been using the units of dental activity (UDA) system.

UDAs are used to measure a practice’s activity. Courses of treatment - for example, a check up or a filling, are banded into UDAs.

Practices are set targets of UDAs to achieve, and if that target is missed, the contract holder and the practice can be forced to pay back money - known as ‘claw back’.

Critics have claimed the UDA system does not incentivise preventative work, and is a key reason for dentists leaving the health service.

An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS has taken unprecedented action to support NHS dentists throughout the pandemic by providing additional funding for practices unable to deliver their usual levels of activity, alongside rapidly setting up 600 urgent dental centres across England so patient services could be maintained during the pandemic.

“People should continue to come forward for the dental care they need, and the care and treatment of people who need it most should be prioritised.”

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