NHS dentist: How many dentists are accepting NHS patients - and tips for getting an appointment

• One in five people in the UK are not registered with an NHS dentist.
• One in 10 people have resorted to DIY dentistry according to a poll from YouGov.
• Bristol is the hardest place in the UK to get an NHS dentist with only 14% of dental practices taking on new patients.
• Birmingham is the best place in the UK to get an NHS dentist with 68% of dental practices accepting NHS patients.

Accessing an NHS dentist is proving a real challenge for many people across the UK.

An increasing number of dentists have left the profession after the Covid pandemic, with patients left struggling to access NHS care. A YouGov poll in 2023 found that one in five people in the UK were not registered with an NHS dentist, with 37% of those saying this was because they could not find one.

To help combat this, the government has established the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which sets clear goals on increasing the number of training places for dentists to help reduce the pressure on dental services.

However, accessing NHS dental care in the UK is still a challenge, with being able to sign up to an NHS dentist often depending on your location. Here’s everything you need to know about the current dental crisis and how you can find an NHS dentist.

How to find an NHS dentist?

You can find an NHS dentist by searching for dental practices on your regional NHS website. This service is available on NHS England, HSCNI, 111 Wales and NHS Inform in Scotland.

The demand for an NHS dentist is high, so unfortunately not all dental surgeries will have the availability to take on new NHS patients. You may have to join a patient waiting list, seek NHS dental care at another dental practice, or look into private options.

If you find a dental surgery that is accepting NHS patients, you may have fill in a form to register onto their patient database, however, this does not mean that you have guaranteed access to an NHS dental appointment in the future.

How many dentists are accepting NHS patients?

Accessing an NHS dentist has become a struggle for many people across the UK since the Covid pandemic, with a YouGov Poll in 2023 suggesting that one in ten people had resorted to DIY dental work.

The poll also revealed that one in five people in the UK are not registered with an NHS dentist, with 37% saying it is because they can’t find one. Whilst in 2022, a report by BBC News and the British Dental Association (BDA) found that nine out of ten dental practices across the UK were not taking on new NHS patients.

Two years on, the struggle to find a dentist continues, with some areas of the UK worse off than others. A report by UNTIL in June, revealed that Bristol is the hardest place to access an NHS dentist, with the lowest number of dental practices taking on new patients, with just seven out of 50 offering availability.

The 11th largest city in the UK made headlines in February after hundreds of people queued outside a dentist practice in the St Pauls arear from 5 am in a bid to register.

In contrast, Birmingham performed the best for patients looking for an NHS dentist, with 34 out of 50 dental practices accepting new NHS patients.

What is the NHS dental 2 year rule?

If you managed to get registered with an NHS dentist it’s important to be aware of the 2 year rule. This means that you should not go more than 2 years without a dental check-up, if you do then you may risk losing your spot as an NHS patient.

Tips for getting an NHS dentist appointment

Accessing an NHS dentist is a real challenge for patients right now, if you are unable to find a dentist in your local area, one top tip is to travel further afield to find a practice that is accepting patients, if you are able. This could be near your work, a family member or a friend, or somewhere that you can travel to using public transport or your vehicle.

If you find yourself in a dental emergency and already have an NHS dentist, ask them if they have availability for emergency dental appointments. If you do not have an NHS dentist call 111 or if you’re in Northern Ireland you can find out more about accessing emergency dental care on HSCNI website.

If you need dental care and are experiencing severe pain, heavily bleeding, or face, mouth or teeth injuries visit your local A&E.

Have you been able to get a dentist appointment? Share your experiences in the comment section below.