Dentists Not Taking NHS Patients

4.38.58pm GMT Fri 16th Feb 2007

A survey by the Liberal Democrats has revealed that less than a quarter of dentists are accepting new NHS patients. Commenting on these findings, York Outer Parliamentary Spokesperson, Cllr Madeleine Kirk, said:

"Many people in York are searching in vain for an NHS dentist. Almost half of York's adult population are currently not registered with a practice.

"The national shortage of NHS dentists has reached a crisis point. It has been exacerbated by last year's botched new dental contract. This is yet another example of the Government's failure to provide a universal, comprehensive health service for everybody who needs it.

"The public cannot even rely on the information on the NHS website as our research has found this to be unreliable. Half of the dentists listed on the website as accepting new registrations are unable to take adult NHS patients."