‘My teeth still hurt’: patients unable to get on to NHS dentists’ lists

Two people describe their problems accessing affordable treatment on the NHS in England

At the beginning of the pandemic I moved from London to Hastings, where I grew up. My bottom teeth were hurting, so I went to the local dentist and they said that because I hadn’t had an appointment in three years they’d taken me off their list, and they didn’t have any space for new NHS patients.