Good and bad news on access to NHS dentistry
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- Published: Tuesday, 02 September 2014 07:31
- Written by News Editor
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Just over 29.9 million adult and child patients in England saw an NHS dentist in the 24 months to June 2014, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC). However although the total number and percentage of adults seen by June 2014 is higher than in 2006, the percentage of the child population seen has fallen by almost one percentage point.
The rise in patients seen is 6.3% (1.8 million) more than in the two years leading up to the new contract in March 2006 and equates to 55.9% of the population being seen compared to 55.6 up to March 2006. However although the total number and percentage of adults seen by June 2014 is higher than in 2006, the percentage of the child population seen has fallen by almost one percentage point.
NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2013/14, which provides information about patients seen by dentists and NHS dental activity in England, shows that compared to the 24 months to March 2006, in the 24 months to June 2014:
- 22.0 million adults had been seen - or 52.3 per cent of the adult population - compared to 20.3 million at March 2006 - or 51.5 per cent.
- 7.9 million children had been seen - or 69.2 per cent of the child population - compared to 7.8 million at March 2006 - or 70.2 per cent.
Considering the four NHS regions in England in the 24 months to June 2014:
- The total number of adults seen rose in all regions compared to the 24 months to March 2006, but only two - the North and the South - saw a rise in the percentage of the population seen (with falls in the London and Midlands and East regions).
- The biggest percentage of the adult population seen was in the North at 57.6 per cent (6.9 million seen in total) - a rise of 1.1 percentage points (420,000) on 2006. The lowest was in London at 46.6 per cent (3.0 million seen in total) - a fall of 1.8 percentage points on 2006.
- The total number of children seen rose in two regions - the North and London - compared to the 24 months to March 2006, but only the North saw a rise in the percentage of the population seen - of 3.1 percentage points (73,000).
- The North also accounted for the biggest percentage of the child population seen at 74.0 per cent (2.4 million children seen in total). The lowest was in London at 63.0 per cent (1.2 million seen in total) - a fall of 0.8 percentage points on 2006.
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