No Herefordshire dentists taking new patients amid shortage

NONE of Herefordshire’s dentists are accepting new patients, with few able to take referred NHS patients as the dentist shortage continues.

Dentists have been experiencing difficulty in Herefordshire for a number of years, with a British Dental Association spokesperson stating that they had long faced chronic problems with burnout, recruitment and retention, particularly in rural areas.

Underlying issues have been made significantly worse by Covid, with the BDA revealing that figures regarding the unmet need for dentistry in 2023 are now nearly three times pre-pandemic totals.

Locals must travel to Bewdley, Kidderminster or further afield to find dentists able to accommodate new NHS patients. This could make dental healthcare inaccessible for those that are elderly, living with complex needs or have other transport difficulties.

ALSO READ:

It currently does not seem as if a solution to the shortage is on the horizon, with a parliamentary committee describing the current state of NHS dentistry as “totally unfit for purpose” as previous government recommendations have not been correctly implemented by dentists.

The committee’s claims have been refuted by the Chair of the British Dental Association's General Dental Practice Committee who said that “ministers have failed to do their homework on NHS dentistry”.

An updated abridged list of the status of dentists across Herefordshire can be found below, you can see the full list at www.nhs.uk/service-search/find-a-dentist

mydentist, Commercial Street, Hereford

Not accepting new patients

mydentist, St Owen Street, Hereford

Not accepting new patients

Willows Dentistry, Hereford

Not accepting new patients

Collins House Dental Surgery, Hereford

Not accepting new patients

Evans, Morton & Evans, Hereford