Patients 'abandoned' as dentist quits NHS

RESIDENTS of Torrington are up in arms after NHS dental provision collapsed in the town.

- by ALISON STEPHENSON

Many angry patients claim they and their children have been “removed” from the NHS list and transferred to private-only provision by practice ‘mydentist’

Liberal Democrat county councillor for Torrington Rural Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin is demanding urgent action from NHS Devon Integrated Care Board, which is responsible for commissioning local NHS dental services, after being flooded with concerns from locals.

One worried mother, Hannah Harris, said: “I have two young children who were always seen under the NHS, but now we've been told we have to pay privately. It's simply unaffordable for us as a family, and I’m scared about what will happen to my children’s teeth if they can’t be seen. We feel abandoned”

Another who responded to Cllr Cottle-Hunkin's post on Facebook said they had not seen a dentist for three years because all their checkup appointments with mydentist had been cancelled.

“When I asked why, the excuse was they were still catching up from Covid times...my appointment was rescheduled to May this year from 18 months ago and yet again they cancelled it, and they're still using the same excuse,’ said the resident.

Others on social media have highlighted the gap in NHS dentistry across North Devon. One said her husband had been on the waiting list for seven years.