The British Dental Association has said failure to set out credible plans to save NHS dentistry will hit the parties at the ballot box, with evidence showing the state of the service is now at the forefront of voter concerns.

A new survey of voters in England by YouGov reveals the access crisis in dentistry is a top doorstep issue in this General Election.

As a local issue, voters have placed dentistry above traditional doorstep concerns like crime, the state of the high street and public transport.

Nearly a third of voters identified it as a top local concern (28 per cent) compared to 24 per cent for crime, 19 per cent for high street shops, 15 per cent for public transport, and 11 per cent for schools and education.

Only the state of roads (42 per cent), GP services (40 per cent) and affordable housing (36 per cent) scored higher.

Close to 1 in 20 voters (4 per cent) say the crisis in dentistry will directly impact on how they vote.

Respondents say dentistry is the hardest to access of NHS services with 71 per cent describing it as difficult, compared to 64 per cent for GPs, and less than half (42 per cent) for A&E.

80 per cent say the Government should be doing more to improve NHS dentistry, rising to 90 per cent among Labour voters. Only 9 per cent believe Government are doing all they reasonably can.

1 in 5 (21 per cent) say they have experienced pain for extended periods relating to their mouth or teeth since lockdown. 7 per cent say they have attempted some form of DIY dentistry since March 2020.

On national issues voters are citing cost of living/economy (63 per cent) and health (38 per cent) as their top concerns. The BDA stress this explains the status of dentistry, where the cost of living and NHS access crises converge.

 The BDA has called on all parties to offer real urgency and ambition to save the service and prevent widening inequalities.

It has set out its key priorities for the next parliament, on ending the access crisis, halting the exodus from the workforce and refocusing on prevention.

However, it has stressed that any real progress hinges a decisive break from the discredited NHS contract dentists in England work to.

The professional body dubbed the Government’s recent recovery plan ‘unworthy’ of the title, stressing that all parties need to offer more than tweaks if this service is going to survive. 

BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: “NHS dentistry is now a top issue on the doorstep because millions have no options.

“Access and cost of living crises have collided, and thus far Government hasn’t stepped up to the plate.  

“Politicians might lose their seats if they fail to act, but voters risk losing this service for good.”

The proportion of adults seen by NHS dentists in Cumberland over the past two years remains below pre-pandemic levels.

Figures from the NHS show 82,396 adults were seen by an NHS dentist in Cumberland in the two years leading to June 30, 2023, 39 per cent of the area's adult population.

It is up from 38 per cent in 2020-22 but below the rate before Covid-19 when 54 per ceent were seen in 2017-19.

Nationally, 18.1 million adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months to June 30 this year. It is up from 16.4 million in 2020-2022, but still below the 22 million seen in 2017-19.

In April, the leader of Cumberland Council said he had deep concern for the future of NHS dentistry after the announcement that a Cockermouth dentist will stop providing NHS treatments.

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

"This latest development is alarming and represents a significant step back toward a period reminiscent of Victorian health inequalities,” said Cllr Fryer.

“At a time when our community is grappling with the cost-of-living crisis, the expectation for individuals to shoulder the financial burden of private dental care is untenable.

“It undermines the very principle of accessible healthcare for all.”

He said that dental health is a ‘fundamental aspect of overall health’, not a luxury.

“It is distressing to witness the erosion of accessible dental care, especially in a developed society.

“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.

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.

However, leading dentists said the recovery package will not be enough to help people struggling to access dental care.

A new poll by the British Dental Association (BDA) found that three-quarters of dentists do not believe that the plan will improve NHS access for new patients.

More than nine in 10 said that the proposals are not sufficiently ambitious to meet the scale of the challenge facing NHS dentistry.

READ MORE: Cumbria a 'dental desert' with very few NHS appointments

Labour said that they are the only party which has a plan to ‘save NHS dentistry’,

Labour’s scheme would involve providing an extra 700,000 urgent dental appointments, a reform of the NHS dental contract system, and offering incentives for new dentists to work in areas that need them the most.

Dentistry is also a top priority for the Liberal Democrats and the Greens and will remain a key issue throughout the campaign and after the election.