UK - Bolton, 120,000 people are without an NHS dentist

NEARLY 120,000 people have no access to an NHS dentist in Bolton.
Despite the borough having one of the worst dental health records in the country, a board meeting of Bolton's Primary Care Trust heard that health bosses spend just 33p per person on dental care every year. Just 55 per cent of people in Bolton are signed up with an NHS dentist and none of the practices are accepting new patients.
Almost 50 people contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service every day with queries about dental care. Youngsters aged five have 2.49 missing, decayed or filled teeth, compared to a North-west average of two and a national average of just one.
In the borough's most deprived areas, such as the former Central ward, which includes Halliwell, five-year-olds have an average of more than four missing, filled or decayed teeth. This compares to the more affluent areas, where youngsters have just one of these problems.
Cllr Andy Morgan, chairman of Bolton Council's health scrutiny committee, said: "We need to take the bull by the horns and start putting money into increasing provision of NHS dentists. "That's the only way we'll see results."

Health chiefs have vowed to tackle the problem and have launched a draft strategy to deal with Bolton's dental problems. Almost £1 million is being put into two new practices in Bolton's most deprived areas, which will provide routine and emergency care. The primary care trust is working with the North-west Fluoride Evaluation Group to determine whether it would be practical and cost-effective to add fluoride to the borough's water supply.
The group is considering an approach to regional health bosses to request a formal public consultation into the fluoridation of Bolton's water.
Another priority for the trust is improving the training of a wide range of health workers so they can advise people on how to keep their teeth healthy.
They would go into workplaces, schools and sports and leisure centres to promote good dental health. Plans are also been drawn up to encourage schools, youth groups, sport and leisure facilities to reduce the amount of sugary and fizzy drinks available.
Work to reduce alcohol and tobacco intake will also be carried out as these can have a detrimental effect of teeth and oral health.
Alison Merry, a consultant in dental public health, said: "We need to improve oral health and there are a raft of options and ways we can go about this.
"We need to understand inequalities and how we can reduce these. We are considering water fluoridation as an option, and making sure oral health promotion services are robust."
Chris Brooks, a leading Bolton NHS dentist, said: "I'm glad that the trust is making dental care more of a priority, but I would like to see it made an even bigger priority.
"There needs to be greater access to NHS dentists for anyone who wants it, but at the moment demand is still far exceeding supply."

One of the attached commentsTom Thumb.They have been drinking fluoridated water in the West Midlands since 1964.Life expectancy is better in the West Midlands than in the North West.How can this be if they have been drinking poison for 43 years? They also have better oral health across all age groups.They have the best access to NHS dentistry in the UK.No-one there is campaigning to have it removed.

Why is it that they have the best access to NHS dentistry? Somebody wanting to make certain that fluoride appears to work. Do they have the best health? I know one family who have infertility and thyroid problems who live in that area. Are they unusual? Jane Jones said her thyroid problem was caused by fluoride.