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Dental Health Care

P003005 - 30 July 2024

Presentations: 1
Presenters: 1
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Employment NHS Northern Ireland

At a Glance

This petition concerning dental health care was presented to Parliament once by 1 MP.

Issue Summary

The petition addresses a significant NHS dental crisis in York, where less than 40% of adults have accessed NHS dentistry in the past two years, leading residents to call for a new approach focusing on prevention and addressing workforce shortages.

Action Requested

The petitioners request that the House of Commons urge the Government to discontinue the current unworkable NHS dental contract and instead bring dental services fully back into the NHS through a National Dental Service.

Key Facts

  • Less than 40% of adults in York have accessed NHS dentistry in the past two years.
  • 1,707 residents have signed the petition.
  • England spends £35 per person on dental care compared to higher amounts in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
  • Patients face extremely long waiting lists for dental appointments.
  • The need for more dentists trained in the UK through new dental schools, including a joint University of York and Hull initiative.
  • Preventative measures such as fluoridation and school check-up services are needed.
  • Elderly people over 60 should be prioritised due to potential malnutrition and comorbidities from poor dental health.

Presentation Timeline

MPs presented this petition on the following dates. Each card shows the presenters and any recorded remarks.

Presented
30 July 2024
Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op)
York Central
It is a pleasure to see you in your place, Madam Deputy Speaker. I rise to present a petition on dental healthcare on behalf of my constituents in York Central and others. York has a significant NHS dental crisis: less than 40% of adults have accessed NHS dentistry in the past two years, and 1,707 residents have therefore signed the petition to call for a new approach to oral health, with a focus on prevention, supporting children, older people and those with co-morbidities, and addressing the workforce shortages, including with a dental school at the universities of York and Hull combined. The petition states:
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