Public views will help shape the new dental strategy for Cornwall and Isles of Scilly.

NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board are using findings and recommendations made in Healthwatch Cornwall's dental services report to shape a new dental strategy for the area.

The report comes after Healthwatch Cornwall engaged with 1,097 members of the public and 96 dental practices to understand the experiences and challenges of local people accessing dental services in Cornwall.

The Healthwatch Cornwall report findings will be used to shape the new dental strategy due for discussion at the Integrated Care Board in November 2024.

It highlighted a significant lack of NHS dental services across Cornwall, with 100 per cent of NHS practices in Cornwall not accepting new adult NHS patients at the time of research.

Underfunding and systemic problems within the NHS dental care system are at the root of the crisis, with recruitment and retention of dental professionals being a significant issue.

Many dentists are reducing NHS commitments or transitioning to private practice.

There are also geographic and transport barriers in certain parts of Cornwall and a lack of public understanding about dental services and how to access care.

Vulnerable groups are disproportionately affected, including low-income individuals, those with disabilities, and residents in rural areas.

Many are forced to incur debt for private care or forego necessary treatment altogether.

Working to improve the provision in the county, Chris Reid, chief medical officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB, said: "We are implementing a range of measures locally to address national pressures on NHS dentistry.

"This includes commissioning additional urgent care and stabilisation services, operating an emergency dental service to deliver 20,000 appointments a year, an extensive schools’ dental education programme and free dental treatment for local fishing communities, provided by Fishermen’s Mission and the Seafarers Hospital Society.

"We will be working hard to develop a strategy that addresses the recommendations in the Healthwatch report – we are determined to serve our population better with access to NHS dentistry."

For more information, and to view the report in full, visit the Healthwatch Cornwall website.