Help Sleaford dentist stop the rot
Access to NHS dental care continues to be a major public concern and in extreme cases, people have done their own emergency fixes, but a Sleaford practice is actually seeking to reverse the trend of children missing out on regular treatment by opening its books to more patients.
The new Labour Government has proposed a Dentistry Rescue Plan, pledging to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to areas that need them most.
The Dental Design Studio replaced the BUPA practice on Carre Street, Sleaford, in March and practice manager Lisa Kellie says they are already trying to spread the word they are taking on NHS children to stop the rot.
She said: “As a practice we have actually been struggling to fill our diaries believe it or not, despite the crazy demand for NHS dentistry.”
The large practice has plenty of capacity, employing four NHS dental therapists who specialise in children’s check-ups, four NHS dentists and two private dentists.
“We have attempted to spread the word that we are taking on children but we don't seem to be getting anywhere, the same goes for seeing our current adult patients. We have eight NHS clinicians here all ready and waiting to see people,” said Lisa.
“We are very aware that, because of Covid, a lot of children have never seen a dentist. Children aged six or seven have come in for their first time having never seen a dentist before."
She said children by the age of two should have had a full check up, but more and more are leaving it later and ending up needing fillings.