Health care in the UK is delivered free at the point of use for all, but this does not extend to all areas of health, writes Ryan Hall.

Dental care across the UK is not delivered free to all, with charges varying across the nations.

A recent report by Healthwatch England has highlighted the deepening issues with dental care.

Some of the issues people face with dentistry have always been around, but the pandemic has created a worsening crisis.

As dental care is not delivered for free, affordability is a major barrier to some people accessing basic dental health.

In a YouGov poll of adults in England carried out for Healthwatch England, just before the first covid lockdown in March 2020, 73 per cent felt that NHS dental treatment charges are expensive.

In the same poll 42 per cent of respondents said they either struggle to pay, or avoid any dental treatment because they cannot afford the costs.

The other major factor in the dental crisis is accessibility. The pandemic and the subsequent shut down of all but urgent NHS dental treatment has led to long waiting lists for anyone who needs dental treatment. In some areas of the country there are waiting lists of up to three years just for an appointment, according to some reports.

These waiting lists do not apply to us all though. Those willing, or able to pay for private treatment are pushed to the front of the queue.

Dentists who also provide treatment for the private market, are likely to prioritise private patients, thus making the waiting times for NHS patients even longer.

Those not able to pay for private treatment have no option, but to accept lengthy waits for treatment and worsening dental hygiene.

The pandemic has also led to an increase in the number of people not currently registered with an NHS dentist.

This, along with some NHS dentists turning fully private, is putting more pressure on the NHS system.

The groups most affected are those on low income who are priced out of the option of private dental treatment, this then in turn means that routine examinations are missed and when problems do occur emergency dental care is needed.

The twin crises of access and affordability hitting NHS dentistry means many people are not able to access timely care, hitting the poorest hardest.

The Government and the NHS should review the cost of NHS dental treatment, making it cheaper and/or free to more people.

Many people struggle even to afford the NHS charge.

In the climate of the pandemic, when people have lost their jobs and have less money, everyone should be able to access the same dental treatment, regardless of whether someone is an NHS or private patient.

A programme of training and recruitment of dentists needs to take place to reduce waiting times.

Ultimately, not helping people to look after their oral health can lead to a whole host of other medical issues that will cost the NHS more in the long run.