NHS dentists seen by 1.2m fewer people

Half of all British people are not seeing an NHS dentist, figures revealed today.

Just 52 per cent of the population had their teeth checked by an NHS dentist in the past two years, which equates to fewer than 27 million.

The figure is even lower in London, with just 48.1 per cent seeing an NHS dentist.

It means 1.2 million fewer people are seeing an NHS dentist now than in the two years before the Government's sweeping changes to the way dentists operate, and comes after ministers admitted last month that the changes created a "difficult transitional period" and "insufficient focus on quality".

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: "Despite the fall in the number of people being seen by NHS dentists, the report also highlights an increase in the number of treatments being delivered to patients who see an NHS dentist."