A whopping 46,172 children in East Sussex were not seen by an NHS dentist in the past year, House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats has revealed.
Local MP James MacCleary has called for an end to ‘dental deserts’ saying that these figures were a ‘damning indictment’ of Conservative party’s legacy of running local health services into the ground.
The research from the House of Commons Library, estimates the number of children who weren’t seen by an NHS dentist in the year to March 2024, based on the latest data from the health service.
It also revealed the proportion of children not seen by an NHS dentist in East Sussex. For the previous year, a staggering 44.56% of children had not been seen by an NHS dentist.
This is despite the NHS recommending that under-18s see a dentist at least once a year because their teeth can decay faster, compared to two years for adults. Tooth decay is also the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged 6-10.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for an emergency rescue plan for NHS dentistry, including spending any funding that has gone unspent in recent years to boost the number of appointments as well as the removal of VAT on children’s toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Liberal Democrat MP for Lewes, James MacCleary said:
“As a dad, I understand just how critical it is for children to have access to dental care when they need it.
"I've heard countless stories from anxious parents who are unable to find an NHS dentist anywhere in East Sussex.
"In our area, the reality is that children are too often left without the care they deserve.
“The Conservative party’s catastrophic mismanagement of the NHS is plain for all to see. The new government must step up and prioritize repairing local health services, including dentistry here in East Sussex, after years of neglect.
“The only solution is for the government to invest in local healthcare at the Budget, finally ending these 'dental deserts.' Every child in Lewes, Seaford, Newhaven, Polegate, and surrounding villages should be able to see a dentist when they need one, without exception.”
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