orthodonticsjournal.net

The NHS is struggling to fund specialist dental treatments in many areas, according to a survey of primary care trusts. More than half said they had trouble funding crowns, bridges, root canal work and orthodontics. The Patients Association, which carried out the survey, said patients faced “unnecessary pain and cost”. Ministers say that increasing access to NHS dentistry remains a top priority and more dentists had been recruited. Overall, the survey found an “unacceptably wide variation” in dental services across England. The findings come just 24 hours after it was revealed that younger dentists are performing less NHS work than in previous years.