Time to show us wisdom on teeth

We launch call for funding boost to fix NHS shortfall

- BY MARTIN BAGOT Health Editor

THE Mirror is today demanding the government reverses a decade of Tory cuts so people can have access to an NHS dentist again.

A quarter of the adult population – around 14 million people in England – are living with an "unmet need" for dentistry, official figures show.

The £3billion total funding for the service in England is currently only enough for half the population to see an NHS dentist when they need one.

Our Dentists for All campaign is launching an online petition calling for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to properly fund dental care to tackle our growing oral health crisis.

We have joined forces with the British Dental Association, whose chair Eddie Crouch said: "Ministers have said NHS dentistry is at death's door. That the horror stories we keep seeing are Dickensian. It's all true.

"But if we're going to save this service, we need them to put their money where their mouth is."

Plans are underway to reform the flawed NHS dental payment contract that leaves dentists making a loss for treating patients who need most care. It pays them the same if someone needs three fillings or 20.