More dentists should be trained in the UK than are hired from overseas, and NHS work should be made more attractive, to fix the dentistry crisis in Carlisle, according to its MP.

John Stevenson, Tory MP for Carlisle, spoke on the issue after political rivals pointed the finger at the government for not acting fast or strong enough nationally, which locally saw a practice in Cockermouth stop serving NHS patients.

Labour councillor Mark Fryer said this further reduces the ‘already scarce’ NHS dentistry availability in the area.

“The government and health authorities have to urgently address this issue.

“It is imperative we explore all possible solutions to reinstate and ensure the provision of NHS dental services in Cumberland and beyond,” he said.

There are no practices in Cumbria taking on new NHS patients, and the nearest one which is take over an hour to get there, in Hexham.

Prices for private dentistry are volatile, leading most patients to seek out NHS care for the consistent pricing model.

But it’s this model which has become a concern, as while patients will pay the same for five fillings as they do for one, so too do dentists get paid for one or several, as is the case for more complex and expensive work, leading to more moves to the private sector.

Brian Wernham, the Lib Dem candidate for Carlisle, spoke on this, identifying it as a crucial issue that the government needs to fix, changing contracts offered to dentists to work for the NHS.

Mr Stevenson said the crisis is a ‘consequence of the pandemic, followed by the various strikes’, and added: “But we’re seeing more investment here with the cancer unit, heart unit, and an increase in staffing levels.

“There are dentists in Carlisle with capacity, but they’re private, and for people in our area, it’s a challenge which I recognise.”

The Government unveiled its £200million plan to bolster NHS dentistry in England in February this year.

Under the plans, NHS dentists will be given a 'new patient' payment of between £15-£50, depending on treatment need, to treat around a million new patients who have not seen an NHS dentist in two years or more, which the government said could see up to 2.5million additional NHS dental appointments delivered for patients over the next 12 months, including up to 1.5million extra treatments being delivered.

But a survey of 1,104 dentists in England found that 43 per cent believe the proposals will lead to them seeing fewer NHS patients, while 54 per cent said the number of NHS patients, they see will remain the same.

Mr Stevenson said the government looked at increasing the number of dentists that can graduate following a historic cap on graduates, adding that one also needs to review contracts made with the dentistry profession increasingly.

“I’ve had extensive conversations with the NHS on this very subject,” Mr Stevenson said, adding that work to increase NHS dentistry after its February announcement has worked elsewhere, but not in Cumbria, adding that the government needs to make it ‘attractive’ for dentists to work on an NHS contract.

On a plan to hire dentists from foreign countries, he said: “We’ve always attracted overseas doctors and nurses, but I would rather we were training more dentists in the UK, and the same with GPs.”