The WI Speaks Out: Effects of Dental Access Crisis on Women
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- Published: Friday, 25 April 2025 09:13
- Written by Peter Ingle
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They used to be known to many for making jam, then it was the naked ladies of the Calendar Girls. Now the Women‘s Institute has turned its attention to the serious issue of the dental access crisis.
The WI as it is affectionately known, is the largest women’s organisation in the UK. It describes itself as a trusted place for all women of all generations, to share experiences and learn from each other. In its 110 year history, the WI movement has sought positive change for women and for society. A recent expression of this has been the WI’s Dental Health Matters campaign which led to it commissioning its own report, launched in parliament on April 23rd
The headline conclusion is that the lack of access to NHS dental care is hitting women hardest and deepening a uniquely gendered health crisis. The report casts a stark light on the hidden experiences of women who are often the designated primary caregivers for their families and yet are left battling to access dental care, often sacrificing their own health to support their loved ones. It also reveals the unique oral health challenges women face compared to men.
The survey is based on responses from over 960 WI members during 2024, and is the first of its kind to highlight that a lack of NHS dental services is having a specific and devastating impact on women.
Other key findings are that women are:
- Sacrificing seeing a dentist themselves to afford private dental care for their loved ones due to the lack of access to NHS dentistry.
- Self-medicating with online-purchased temporary fillings, over the counter remedies, and overdosing on painkillers to alleviate oral pain.
- Forced to go to A&E for dental pain due to a lack of access to preventative care, including severe infections.
- Travelling up to 250 miles across the UK and even abroad to find affordable dental care,
- Taking loans, using credit cards, and even downsizing homes to release income to afford dental care.
- Missing out on vital dental care during pregnancies and failing to find any dentists willing to see their children as NHS patients.
The Dental Health Matters campaign calls on the government to recognise and act on the impact of this dental health crisis on women, caused by a dental health service unfit for purpose - by reviewing NHS contracts and providing more dental training places.
Jeryl Stone, Chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (NFWI) described some of the problems faced by members, and added that: “We at the Women’s Institute stand united in demanding a fair and accessible NHS dental healthcare system for every woman and their community – this requires urgent reform to NHS dental contracts and offering more training spaces for our dentists of the future. Dental health matters, and so do we.”
In support of the campaign and its report – which carries the lived experiences of hundreds of women - British Dental Association Chair, Eddie Crouch, added: "The crisis in NHS dentistry is having a unique impact on women up and down the country. From pregnancy to menopause, as parents and as carers, access problems often hit women hardest. This service can have a future, but only if ministers are willing to pick up the pace and keep their promises. Until then, patients — especially women — will continue to pay the price."
This is by no means the WI’s first involvement in campaigning for better Dental Health. As long ago as 1926, after observing the poor oral health of children, the NI held meetings with the then Dental Board, to discuss the subject of dental health
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