National Dental Survey Shows Less than Half of the UK Public are Currently Registered with an NHS Dentist
Leading Dentist and Partner at Chelsea & Fulham Dentist, Dr Imran Sayed, has recently published a National Dental Survey to highlight how the UK public are looking after their teeth, what services they are using and what aspects of their smile they would like to improve.
The survey has shown some surprising results about how the UK are utilising the dental service offered by the NHS with less than half (47%) currently registered with an NHS dentist. Only 19% are registered with a private dentist according to the survey, which means more than a third of the UK (34%) isn’t registered with any dentist. Millennials are the least likely age group to have a dentist with only 36% of 25 – 34 year olds registered.
For those registered with an NHS dentist, the survey showed that only 17% have struggled to get an appointment suggesting that the NHS is still delivering a great dental service to millions of people across the UK. The results also showed more than one in ten of the UK public (14%) agree that to help relieve the pressure on the NHS it shouldn’t offer cosmetic dental procedures and these should be paid for privately.
For additional treatments that aren’t covered by the NHS, there is always the option to use a private dentist. Chelsea & Fulham Dentist offers a wide range of leading cosmetic services to many patients who are often also registered with an NHS dentist. These services can include teeth whitening and straightening, which is not surprising, especially as one in four (27%) of the UK public admitted they felt self-conscious about their smile and the most common reasons for these insecurities were due to people wanting their teeth to be whiter and straighter.
Dr Imran Sayed, added, “With the cost of living crisis impacting most of the UK population, people are neglecting their dental health, which can often end up costing more further down the line, especially if there are aesthetic implications as many cosmetic procedures aren’t covered by the NHS.
I would urge everyone to ensure they are registered with a dentist and having regular check-ups to avoid long-term problems with their teeth. We are so fortunate in the UK to have a choice of NHS and independent dental care providers which should allow everyone access to the dental care needed to maintain a healthy smile.’
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