The crisis in dentistry: why is it happening and what should we do about it?

The Briefing Room

This week a great queue of dentistless Bristolians appeared outside a new practice offering NHS treatment. That followed a report on children’s health which specifically referenced the poor and worsening state of their teeth. This week the government announced a package to try and improve things in England. But did it go anything like far enough to solve the problems of too few dentists being willing or able to treat NHS patients?

David Aaronovitch is joined by the following experts:

Beccy Baird, Senior Fellow, the King’s Fund Ian Mills, Dentist and Associate Professor of Primary Care Dentistry at the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth Thea Stein, Chief Executive of the Nuffield Trust Professor Claire Stevens CBE, Spokesperson, British Society of Paediatric Dentistry

Production team: Nick Holland, Kirsteen Knight and Charlotte McDonald Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman Sound: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon