POLITICIANS have rallied to hit out at the lack of NHS dental care available to new patients.
A BBC investigation found that nine out of 10 dental practices in Fermanagh were not accepting new NHS patients – a figure that was replicated across the North as a whole.
Anyone in the County wishing to register with a dentist must do so as a private patient and be charged for each appointment plus any dental treatment that needs to be applied.
On average, routine check-ups, fillings and extractions range between £40 to £60 but root canal treatment can be in the range of £130 to £150 while crowns and bridges edge close to the £400 mark.
NHS patients would still have to pay but at a heavily-subsidised level and with the vast majority of dentists preferring to take on private patients, local politicians have insisted more should be done to reverse this trend.
Sinn Féin MP for Fermanagh & South Tyrone, Michelle Gildernew, said: “The findings of this investigation are concerning. Almost 90% of practices in the north are not accepting adults and children for dental care.
“Ensuring people can see a dentist when they need one through the NHS must be the priority, not based on their ability to pay for private treatment.
“Plans by the Department of Health to develop a scheme to improve access to urgent and emergency dental care for unregistered patients must also be progressed, alongside a strategy for Oral Health.
“We need an Executive up and running now to deliver a clear plan to recruit more dentists and dental nurses. The DUP should stop holding that work up and form a government now.”
UUP MLA, Tom Elliott, stated the results of the investigation highlighted the effects the Covid pandemic has had on dentistry which will “take years to undo”.
He added: “The findings by the BBC demonstrate the impact that the pandemic has had across our health professions and show that reform is required.
“A review of dental care must be engaged across a broad range of stakeholders including the Department of Health, Dental practices, and patients. The disruption of the pandemic will take years to undo.
“I recognise that our health professionals have been under considerable pressure after the past couple of years.
“ I want us to get back to a time where dental practices accept NHS patients again, but this will take time and reform.”
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