'It's like pulling teeth trying to get action on national dentist crisis'

AROUND five million people in England do not have a dentist, figures have revealed.

-  Steph Spyro

Some 140,526 people needed treatment in a month but did not have their own dentist and were unable to access NHS dental care, a Liberal Democrat analysis of Government statistics showed.

Of these patients, more than 1,500 went to A&E but the majority 79.7% or 111,999 were unable to get treatment they needed.

Helen Morgan MP, the Lib Dem health spokeswoman, said: "As more and more patients are forced to perform dangerous DIY dentistry, it's like pulling teeth trying to get ministers to take the action we need.