MP warns people will turn to 'dangerous DIY dentistry' if NHS contracts are not sorted

North Shropshire's Liberal Democrat MP Helen Morgan said she had met with NHS leaders in parliament this week to discuss the issue – which she said is leading to a decline in dental care across the county.

It comes as House of Commons data reveals that just 35.4 per cent of adults and 49.8 per cent of children in North Shropshire have seen a dentist in the last two years.

Dental treatment with the NHS is not free for the public, but the system in place means it is subsidised by the government.

However, in recent years a lack of investment and recruitment has meant private care contracts are regularly overtaking NHS equivalents, creating long waiting lists and a staffing shortage.

A recent BBC survey showed that 91 per cent of Shropshire dental practices were not taking on any new patients, while further data showed an even greater percentage are refusing to take new NHS patients.

For any new residents of the county, there are a dearth of options when it comes to registering for any sort of dental care, while existing NHS patients are forced to contemplate the prospect of paying for private care as a growing number of practices are simply stopping NHS treatment.

Mrs Morgan said: "NHS services across Shropshire are in a state of crisis, and sadly dental care is no different. Too many people are having to pay money they don’t have for care that is no longer provided by the NHS thanks to years of underinvestment and poor quality contracts.

"Nearly two thirds of adults in my constituency haven’t seen a dentist in the last two years. Perhaps more damagingly, half of all children haven’t seen a dentist either, which is setting us up for widespread long-term problems and the need for more care further down the line.

"The Government need to sort out NHS contracts or even more people will be forced to turn to dangerous DIY dentistry."