A mother in Portsmouth says she has “given up” trying to find an NHS dentist after four years of unsuccessful searches, highlighting the city’s deepening dental access crisis.
Oge, who moved to Portsmouth from Oxfordshire in 2021, said it had been “impossible” to register with an NHS dental practice for herself or her 10-month-old daughter, Amara, who is now teething and needs her first dental check-up.
NHS data shows Portsmouth has just 15 dentists per 100,000 people, far below the national average of 42.
Having relocated to the UK from Nigeria, Oge pays the immigration health surcharge as part of her visa, which entitles her to NHS services. She said the lack of access felt unfair.
“Even as an immigrant, I pay the health surcharge, so it feels like I’m paying twice for healthcare,” she said. “And I can’t even get something as basic as dental treatment.”
Oge said every practice she contacted was either not accepting NHS patients or had stopped providing NHS services altogether. She eventually received a dental check-up through the charity DentAid, which operates a mobile clinic and treated a cavity she had developed.
Now facing the same challenge for her daughter, Oge said the situation was bleak for families.
“It’s the same problem for babies as it is for adults,” she said. “You either go private or you don’t have dental care at all. I’ve stopped looking because every attempt just hits a brick wall.”
The situation comes as the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy has been granted Dental Authority Status, allowing it to train dentists for the first time. The academy currently trains dental nurses and hygienists and hopes to begin licensed dentist training as early as September.
The university said upgrades completed in 2023 mean the academy is well positioned to become a full dental school. Staff and students already provide outreach services, including free dental care and oral health education in schools.
The final number of new dentistry students will depend on a forthcoming government decision on national funding and the allocation of training places.
University vice-chancellor Professor Graham Galbraith described the development as a “landmark moment” for the city.
“Portsmouth and the wider south-east desperately need more NHS dentists,” he said. “Training local students increases the likelihood they will stay and serve the community after graduating.”
Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said the move could help address long-standing access issues.
“Nearly a quarter of patients in the south east who tried to see an NHS dentist in the last two years were unable to do so,” he said. “Training dentists here is key to building a sustainable workforce that meets local needs.”
