Frustrated patients turn to GPS over dental troubles

DOCTORS see 380,000 patients a year with dental problems, a study has found, as ministers have been urged to end the “hostile environment” to having access to a dentist in the UK.

The study, published in the British Journal of General Practice, warned that GP appointments for dental problems are “often not an effective or efficient use of resources”, with the result that pressure is “piled on overstretched GPS who are simply unequipped to help”.

Commenting on the study, experts said dental patients were facing “growing barriers” to finding care. The survey found people were turning to GPS because of the availability of appointments compared with dental care.

One patient, a 68-year-old woman with a dental abscess, told researchers: “They offered me appointments, to be fair, in three different places, but all of them were either 100 or more away from us, and I was desperate to get it sorted … so that’s why I went to the GP.”

Henrik Overgaard-nielsen, chairman of general dental practice at the British Dental Association, said: “Ministers need to end the hostile environment many patients face, and ensure all those who need our care can access it.

“Dental patients face growing barriers, from higher charges to longer journeys, where even those entitled to free care face the ever-present threat of fines for misclaiming.”

Willingness and ability to pay for dental care also appeared to be a factor, the authors found, as they concluded that “general practice teams should be able to signpost patients who present with dental problems, if appropriate”.

Dr Steve Mowle, honorary treasurer of the Royal College of GPS, said: “While GPS are trained to deal with a multitude of health concerns, we are not trained to treat dental problems.”