A hidden oral health crisis is quietly unfolding in the UK. An increasing number of children are diagnosed with multiple teeth being removed during their first dental visit, exposing a serious gap in public dental services.
In the small town of Exmouth in Devon, Fairfield House Dental Surgery is one of the few dental clinics that still accepts patients from the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK.
Dr. Rob Mew, the head of the clinic, revealed a worrying reality: every Thursday, he opens his clinic for local children who have not received a dental check-up for many years, and some children have never even seen a dentist.
“The dental condition of these children is shocking, and many need teeth extracted on their first visit,” Rob said.
Even more frustrating is that although he insisted on providing treatment for NHS patients, he was “punished” for it.
Because he maintained good oral health for his patients through regular checks and preventive measures, he was “recovered” by the NHS for £150,000 in fees.
This is another example of the flawed design of the NHS dental contract. Under the current system, dentists’ income is linked to the amount of treatment, which does not encourage early prevention.
This system has caused many dentists to withdraw from the NHS service system and only accept private patients – because private services are more profitable and have fewer restrictions.
The Mirror came to Devon as the first in a series of reports on the “Dentists for All” campaign, hoping to arouse public attention to the inequality of dental services and promote reform.