A health watchdog has raised fresh fears over access to NHS dental care, after it revealed hundreds of people had lodged complaints about being unable to make appointments.
Healthwatch Norfolk said it had dealt with 401 patients in the county who had struggled to get dentist appointments on the health service between April and December 2021. Some of those who complained had opted to go private, but many had simply been forced to endure pain.
The watchdog also revealed that it now receives more contact from the public raising concerns about dentistry than about any other area of health and social care.
The issue of shortages of NHS dental care pre-dates the pandemic, but has been exacerbated by restrictions introduced to combat Covid-19.
Much of the problem stems from the lockdown periods during which only emergency work could be carried out, resulting in surgeries prioritising private treatment to make ends meet.
Continued struggles have led to the government announcing further funding in an effort to encourage dentists to prioritise NHS patients.
However, Alex Stewart, chief executive of Healthwatch Norfolk, said there was little evidence that this is happening here.
He said: "We are aiming to contact every dental practice in the county on a fortnightly basis so we are aware of their waiting-list status and can update patients.
"Both the NHS and Healthwatch are also repeatedly urging practices to keep their websites up to date around their availability to offer patient care and we will continue to press for this."
Norwich and south Norfolk have proved particular hot spots, when it comes to dental concerns.
Of the 401 people who contacted Healthwatch, 23pc were from Norwich and 22pc lived in the south of the county.
The East of England has been allocated £5,731,000 to help address the issue - although only the South West of the country has received a smaller share of the funding.
Shawl Charlwood, chairman of the British Dental Association, said: "Until today not a penny of the government's multi-billion pound catch up programme has reached dentistry.
"This is progress, but must be just the start if we are able to rebuild a service millions depend on."
A whole family struggles
Liz Worsley moved to Thorpe End with her husband Sean from Derbyshire in 2019 and immediately tried to register with a dentist.
On her first attempts, the closest practice she could secure a spot at was in King's Lynn - more than 50 miles away.
Two and half years later, she has still not been able to find a local one.
Mrs Worsley now needs a tooth pulled and her dentures expanded, while her husband, 58, has missing from teeth and was quoted £2,500 for the treatment he needs privately.
Mrs Worsley is receiving disability allowances and while her husband works, the family also relies on foodbanks, making private treatment out of reach. Their two children, aged 23 and 20, are also stuck in queues for treatment.
She said: "I think it's appalling that NHS dentistry has been so criminally under-funded for so long.
"I qualify for special needs dentistry but when you move to a new area you need a certificate for that and you can't get a certificate unless you see a dentist and you can't see a dentist if you can't get appointments - it's a big catch-22.
"Our youngest still lives in Matlock and he is having the exact same problem - so it's a national crisis."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here