Councillors were told that there is a serious “capacity” problem in Camden

HEALTH chiefs say they are no longer recommending that people go for regular dental check-ups anymore because the NHS cannot cope with the demand.

Officials at North Central London NHS, speaking at the council’s health scrutiny committee on Monday night, said there was a functioning service available for people in pain needing urgent help with extractions and also for children.

But despite some funding being allocated to practices in Camden for October until March next year, a serious “capacity” problem has been identified for the wider population wanting to keep their mouth in healthy order.

Statistics show since Covid there has been a steady increase in the rate of decay – particularly among people in “deprived” areas of Camden – which has led to patients needing more complex treatments.

Dentists are not taking on this work as the NHS because of an archaic contract that is pushing practices toward more private work, the meeting heard.

Kelly Nizzer, lead for dental services at NHS England, said: “Promoting NHS dentistry at this point would probably not work because we have access issues and there is a backlog…

“We can talk about brushing your teeth – and have a big toothbrush campaign – and say go and see you dentist regularly. But when people say ‘ok where do we go?’ It’s like errrr – well, that’s where the issue sits now.”

She said that there was a good NHS service for people in pain and children, but added: “For everyone outside the box the question is do we have the capacity to get these people in?”

Ms Nizzer told the meeting that as complicated treatment was needed for patients who were not going to check ups, “the issue is that patients are taking longer to treat”, adding: “When I needed two appointments before, I might need seven now.But the dentist is still getting paid the same from us [the NHS] however amount of time he is taking is much longer.”

She said that the increase in complex cases had led to many dentists going private or even going bust, adding: “The largest issue is the dental contract doesn’t really cater for what has happened post-Covid, which is high need for patients, more decay rates, and the units of payments being remaining the same. Something is going to give.”

One in five children in Camden believed to living with unmet need for dental treatment.
Committee member Councillor Lorna Greenwood asked why extractions – a last resort in the dentistry game – were three times higher in areas of high “deprivation”.

Jeremy Wallman, head of primary commissioning at NCL, said: “Deprivation is a major factor. The bottom line is if you commission dentistry, ultimately what you are commissioning is at the point when someone needs treatment.

“The key is prevention. The general contract does not reward in any way shape or form prevention.”

He said anyone in pain can call 111 and will be booked in for treatment at a participating Camden dentist.