'I can't find an NHS dentist!'— what is the real situation out there on the street?

Key Points

In Brief

• A survey was carried out to determine the extent the public have in obtainining access to NHS dentistry.

• The personal and socio-demographic issues involved were examined.

• One in five adults in the UK are experiencing problems in their search for an NHS dentist.

• Adults experiencing problems include those using private dental services and those based in the South of England.

Abstract

Aims

The aims of this paper are first, to determine the extent of difficulties the public are experiencing in obtaining a dentist undertaking NHS dental care. Second, to describe the personal and socio-demographic details of these groups using data from a national study.

Method

The vehicle for this study was the Office for National Statistics Omnibus Surveys, undertaken in June and July of 1999. A random probability sample of 5,385 addresses was selected from the British Postcode Address File. Respondents were interviewed in their homes about how difficult they found it to obtain an NHS dentist.

Result

A total of 3739 adults took part in this study and the response rate was 69%. Nineteen per cent (705) claimed they found it difficult to get an NHS dentist. Bivariate analysis revealed that difficulty in obtaining an NHS dentist [excluding those who claimed they did not seek NHS dental care (781) and those who refused to answer or didn't know (66)] was associated with age group (P<0.01), gender (P<0.05), social class (P<0.01) and area of residency (P<0.01). Moreover, difficulty in obtaining NHS dental care was also associated with time since last dental visit (P<0.01), method of payment for last dental visit (P<0.01) and use of 'out of hours' emergency dental services (P<0.01). Further analysis revealed that among the socio-demographic variables, area of residency emerged as the most important factor in determining difficulty in obtaining an NHS dentist. Those who lived in the South of England (London, South-East or South West) were more than twice as likely to experience difficulty in obtaining an NHS dentist, OR=2.40, 95% CI 2.00–2.88 compared with those who lived elsewhere in Great Britain.

Conclusion

One in five adults in Britain claim that they are experiencing difficulties in finding a dentist who will provide NHS dental care. In particular, those using private dental services and residents of the South of England have experienced such difficulties.

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