One in 20 British adults went overseas for dental care last year amid difficulty finding an NHS dentist and soaring private costs, a report reveals.
The cost of treatments in the UK was the main reason cited by the 6 per cent of adults who headed overseas, according to the UK's dentist regulator General Dental Council (GDC).
People also told the GDC they went abroad for treatment after having tried, and failed, to join a dental practice at home or had been unable to get an appointment locally.
Younger adults were more likely to have opted in for dental tourism compared to older age groups, with rates rising to 18 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds.
People reported getting dental care in nearly 30 different countries, including France and India.
The cost of treatments in the UK was the main reason cited by the 6 per cent of adults who headed overseas, according to the General Dental Council (GDC)M
One person even told the GDC that they built dental care into their regular holidays to Greece after being unable to register with an NHS dentist near to their home in the East Midlands.
The findings are part of a wide-ranging survey of 2,000 adults, conducted by on behalf of the GDC, into the state of dentistry in the UK.
It revealed the public’s confidence in NHS dentistry and their ability to access it has fallen in recent years, amid growing reports of ‘dental deserts’.
Some 20 per cent said they had tried to book an appointment for dental care or treatment during the past year but been unable to do so.
Among those who had not accessed care in the last 12 months, some 31 per cent said they had not gone because of the cost.
How much does NHS dentistry cost?
There are 3 NHS charge bands:
Band 1: £25.80
Covers an examination, diagnosis and advice. If necessary, it also includes X-rays, a scale and polish, and planning for further treatment.
Band 2: £70.70
Covers all treatment included in Band 1, plus additional treatment, such as fillings, root canal treatment and removing teeth (extractions).
Band 3: £306.80
Covers all treatment included in Bands 1 and 2, plus more complex procedures, such as crowns, dentures and bridges.
For comparison, check-ups can cost between £20 and £120 at private dentists, according to Which?.
Dentures and bridges can also cost up to £2,520, the consumer watchdog says.
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Fewer than two in three people (64 per cent) said they had visited a dental practice in the past year.
But a third (30 per cent) said they did not have a regular dental practice; 24 per cent said they were dissatisfied with the affordability of their treatment; and 19 per cent were dissatisfied with how long they had to wait for an appointment.
Of those who had received some sort of private care, 42 per cent reported that they had only started having private dental treatment in the past three years.
Most who opted to go private did so because they had difficulties accessing NHS care.
The GDC said that some people had been ‘prioritising treatment over preventative dental care’ due to the cost of living crisis.
Stefan Czerniawski, executive director of strategy at the GDC, said: ‘The findings highlight the ongoing challenges facing dentistry and the need to make progress in addressing these systemic issues to improve access to timely appointments and the affordability of dental care across the UK.
‘It is particularly concerning that the research shows clear evidence of patients’ concerns that the recovery of dental services after the Covid pandemic has not only stalled but may have gone into reverse.
‘That has worrying implications for the oral health of patients and the public, which need urgent attention.’
Louise Ansari, chief executive at Healthwatch England, said NHS dental care is one of the main reasons the patient champion is contacted by the public.
She added: ‘Even when people can access NHS dentistry, many can’t afford dental fees.
‘We now call on the new government to tell the public, when and how it will roll out the 700,000 extra appointments it has pledged to deliver under a new Dental Rescue Plan.
‘We also call for NHS dental charges for 2025 to be frozen at current levels to prevent more people being put off seeking help.
‘In the long-term, more fundamental reforms are needed, to give everyone a right to register with a local NHS dentist, in the same way as they can with a GP, to access ongoing check-ups and appointments.’
Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, which represents dentists, said: ‘Cost-of-living and access crises have converged, leaving millions with no options.
‘Some are heading abroad for needed care, but many more are simply going without.
‘The public aren’t seeing a light at the end of the tunnel for NHS dentistry. It will take bold and ambitious action to save it.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘It is unacceptable that so many people struggle to simply get a dental appointment, and this research lays bare the scale of the situation.
‘There are large parts of the country where NHS dentistry barely exists any more.
‘We will rebuild NHS dentistry, starting with an extra 700,000 emergency dentistry appointments.
‘We will also reform the dental contract to encourage more dentists to offer NHS services to patients.
‘Prevention is better than cure, so we will also introduce supervised tooth brushing for three to five-year-olds.
‘These changes are fundamental to us building an NHS that is fit for the future.’
