PEOPLE in Oxfordshire will see their dentist less frequently, as the routine of going for a six-month check-up is being scrapped across England.

The NHS says that more people taking advantage of longer intervals between check-ups would free up access for more urgent cases. 

Healthy people will only need a check-up with their NHS dentist every two years under a push to improve access to dental care.

The Government wrote to NHS dentists last week saying that under the first changes to the dental contract in 16 years, healthy people will only need a check-up every two years.

It said this complied with guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which says dental teams should see patients for a check-up based on their health risk.

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Patients in Oxfordshire have reported being unable to get an NHS dentist as watchdog Healthwatch asked for their opinions on accessing dental care during the pandemic.

Their report said: “Access to NHS dentistry has been one of the most significant issues people have raised with us over the last 18 months. We know that many people are still struggling to get the dental treatment they need.

“We heard that restricted access had meant that some people were left in pain or with worsening oral health, and how wealthier people were able to access treatment by paying privately.

“Following this work, NHS England announced additional dental appointments in Oxfordshire.”

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However, most dentists in Oxfordshire are not accepting new NHS patients, according to data from the national health service.

Dentists providing NHS treatment are listed online and practices are expected to keep their details up to date on the health service's website.

According to the NHS Find a Dentist online service, out of the 54 dentists listed online for 'Oxford', just two were clearly open to all NHS patients without a referral and three were open only to children aged under 18.

The website showed that 15 dentists were only open to new NHS patients who have been referred, but referrals can only usually be made when a patient is already registered with a dentist.

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The website also states that 21 dental practices had not recently updated their records to declare whether they are accepting new NHS patients.

Sara Hurley, chief dental officer for England, said: “The NHS is determined to overhaul dental provision, with a focus on increasing access to necessary dental care and supporting prevention, today’s reforms are the first step on that journey.

“NHS dental staff are working hard to recover services, but the key to delivering this will be reform – these changes announced today will help teams carry out even more treatments and help address the inevitable backlogs that have built up during the pandemic."

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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers. 

Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @AnnaColivicchi