HEALTH WATCH ENGLAND said people across the nation are being told to wait until 2024 for dentist appointments while others are being removed from their practice lists for not making appointments sooner.

They also found that some people are being offered private as an alternative at the same dental practice, with some patients reporting that they felt “pressured” to pay for private care.

While some waiting lists can be years long is this the case in Worcestershire?

While NHS practice here don’t have a three year waiting list, they have noticed a slight increase in waiting times as a result of the pandemic.

Private dental practices in the area have also noted an increase in the number of people coming to them after being unable to get seen quickly enough.

An NHS England representative for the Midlands said activity has been increasing “month on month” since the start of the pandemic.

They added: “Our focus is on supporting dentists and their teams to see as many patients as safely possible.

“Infection prevention and control means a return to normal practice is not yet possible and dentists are asked to prioritise all patients who require urgent dental care or who are a priority such as children or those most at risk from oral disease.”

Gentle Dental Care on London Road is an NHS dentist with branches in Worcester and Evesham.  

Sarah Coopey is the manager of Gentle Dental Care in Worcester and she said while waiting times have increased slightly, the waiting list for locals is no way near the three year mark.

Redditch Advertiser: (Facebook/Gentle Dental Care of Worcester)(Facebook/Gentle Dental Care of Worcester)

She explained: “People aren’t waiting years to get into this dentist at all- I am not sure where that national data has come from.

“Right now, the average wait time is five to six weeks- but we’re fully booked pretty much every one of those days.”

She added that the practice has been “very very busy” and they are currently unable to take on new adult patients until their current ones have been seen to.

Ms Coopey also noted an increase in emergency dental treatments needed during lockdown.

She explained: “Since the pandemic started we have noticed an increase in emergency treatments needed. We have two slots free for emergency treatment and these slots have been filled quickly.”

Several private dentists across Worcestershire have also noted an increase in patients coming to them after being unable to be seen by their NHS dental practitioner.

Northwick Manor Dentist- waiting times are “a few weeks time”. They have noticed that people are more open to private bookings.

“We have added a new treatment room to put up with the demand we have had here.”

Nothwick Manor Dentist on Sabrina Avenue has proven to be popular among locals, receiving a perfect 5.0 rating on Google.

A spokesperson for the company waiting times are “a few weeks long” for their private patients and they have also noticed that people are more open to private bookings as a result of the longer NHS waiting list.

They added: “We have added a new treatment room to put up with the demand we have had here.”

It’s a similar story for dental practices over in Malvern.

Rhonda Hale, manager of Shrawley House Dental Practice in Malvern said she has noticed an increase in patients coming to them for private care- which is “more so because of the pandemic.”

She said: “I think a lot of private dentists around Malvern have noticed an increase in patients coming to them for private care.

“I think it’s because people know they will be seen quicker.

“Towards the start of the pandemic, we noticed an influx of people who needed emergency treatment who hadn’t been able to seek this care elsewhere- but these number have eased off now”

A spokesperson for the private Shrubbery Dental Practice on Shrubbery Avenue said they have finally caught up with their patient appointments and the current waiting list stands at the “six week mark”.

She said they were getting up to 60 enquiries per day before lockdown restrictions eased.

They added: “We have had an massive influx of people who are struggling to get seen by their national health dentist.

“While it has quietened off in the last few weeks, we had someone ringing us every single day with pain because they couldn’t get into their dentist.”

Have you struggled to get a dentist appointment in Worcester? Send your story to: sarah.mcgee@newsquest.co.uk.