Dental care: there is ‘significantly better access’ in South Yorkshire than in England, figures show

Although the number of people seen prior to the pandemic is still significantly higher, Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield have all experienced slow improvements in the last two years or so.

While on average more than 50 per cent (of adults) were able to have access to an NHS dentist in those local authority areas in South Yorkshire, the average in England was only 40.7 per cent by the end of June 30, last year.

With regard to children, the same rate in South Yorkshire was between 55 per cent and 60 per cent with the average in England being at 52.7 per cent during the same examined period (from June 30, 2022 and June 30, 2023).

The report added: “While the number of available appointments for regular and routine treatment is increasing, and access figures are gradually improving, dental practices continue to balance the challenge of clearing any backlog with managing new patient demand.

“Whilst restoration of dental activity continues, it is encouraging that the latest figures for access to June 30, 2023 show that access levels in South Yorkshire (SY) amongst adults and children show an improving picture across all four places.

“There is significantly better access in SY than in England overall.”

However, the report also added that oral health data indicated that children in South Yorkshire experienced higher levels of tooth decay than both regionally and nationally.

This could be the result of many still not being able to access routine NHS dental care, meaning they start to “have higher levels of dental treatment need”.

It is also reported that the first access point an individual has with dental services is either via primary general dental practice or urgent care. With some patients struggling to be able to access a dental practice more people are accessing urgent care.

“Feedback from these services is that people are using them as their main source of dental care”, the report said.

The findings of the report will be discussed at next week’s meeting.