Dental Services: East of England — [Sir Mark Hendrick in the Chair]

The NHS dental system is in crisis with people waiting over three years for care, patients self-extracting teeth, and individuals becoming addicted to painkillers due to lack of treatment. In the east of England, there are only 38 NHS dentists per 100,000 people, leading to issues like DIY tooth extraction and high rates of dental decay among under-fives. Over a third of dental practices' net spend has been cut over the last decade with 2,000 NHS dentists quitting in 2021 alone.

Andrew Selous, a veteran of these debates, raised concerns about the accuracy of NHS England's information regarding dental practices in his constituency. He noted that before the pandemic, 58.5% of children saw a dentist annually, which declined to 46.2% by June 2022. For adults, visits dropped from 49.5% pre-pandemic to 36.9%. Selous emphasised the importance of educating the public on proper dental care and highlighted the need for better oral health in older people. The hon. Friend highlighted the disparity in dental services across the east of England, particularly noting that Norfolk ranked 147th out of 150 sub-regions for access to NHS dentistry. He questioned why spending on NHS dentistry in the region is significantly lower than elsewhere. Noted the world-leading research in Cranfield as part of the golden triangle of opportunities in the east of England.

My hon. Friend is making some very good points, and I congratulate him on securing the debate. There is a tension between payment by activity and moving towards a more preventive model. He suggests locking dentists into NHS for five years post-graduation to recoup training costs.

The MP discussed the challenge of recruiting young professionals, including dentists, who struggle with housing costs. He proposed utilising public land to design and build affordable homes for NHS workers in exchange for their commitment.

The Member emphasised the critical shortage of dentists in Norfolk, where no new patients are being accepted under NHS contracts. He pointed out that Brundall Dental Practice will stop accepting adult NHS patients from September 2023, forcing constituents to switch to costly monthly subscriptions or face acute dental issues at the hospital. Inquired about the surprising low percentage of drinking water that is fluoridated, specifically 10%.

Noted that dental issues are a top concern for constituents, highlighting specific cases such as tooth decay among five-year-olds and children needing tooth extractions. He also pointed out the significant backlog in GDC exams with 1,700 individuals awaiting examination slots.

The east of England is facing significant challenges in NHS dentistry, with low funding and a shortage of dental professionals. Peter Aldous calls for fair funding, contract reform, improved recruitment, prevention measures such as fluoridisation, and better accountability through ICBs. Agreed with his colleague on the need for a public awareness campaign to dispel conspiracy theories and promote the benefits of fluoridation in drinking water.