The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on dental care has been laid bare by new figures revealing a slump in treatments delivered to south east London patients.

The British Dental Association said the pandemic has exacerbated longstanding problems in NHS dentistry, with millions of appointments lost due to ongoing infection control measures.

Dental practices were told to halt all routine dental care from March 25 until June 8 last year, when they reopened with strict infection control rules due to Covid-19.

These included leaving time after certain procedures and social distancing requirements.

Across England, there were 23,700 NHS dentists in 2020-21, 951 fewer than the year before – the first drop in four years.

Within the NHS South East London CCG, the health body covering Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham, the number of dentists offering NHS treatment dropped by 120, to 937 over the same period.

Bexley

NHS Digital data reveals 45,800 dental treatments were given to NHS patients in Bexley between June 2020 and March this year – a 63% drop from 123,000 in the same period the previous year.

Among these treatments, 13,100 were delivered to children, down 69% from 41,600 in 2019-20.

Bromley

NHS Digital data reveals 61,800 dental treatments were given to NHS patients in Bromley between June 2020 and March this year – a 64% drop from 173,000 in the same period the previous year.

Among these treatments, 26,100 were delivered to children, down 62% from 69,400 in 2019-20.

Greenwich

NHS Digital data reveals 64,400 dental treatments were given to NHS patients in Greenwich between June 2020 and March this year – a 64% drop from 180,000 in the same period the previous year.

Among these treatments, 17,700 were delivered to children, down 72% from 63,800 in 2019-20.

Lewisham

NHS Digital data reveals 73,200 dental treatments were given to NHS patients in Lewisham between June 2020 and March this year – a 62% drop from 192,000 in the same period the previous year.

Among these treatments, 17,600 were delivered to children, down 69% from 56,900 in 2019-20.

In January, the Government told NHS dentists they should deliver 45% of their pre-pandemic activity, rising to 60% in April.

But the BDA said capacity across dental services remains low, with around half the NHS practices in England not meeting targets.

Shawn Charlwood, chairman of the BDA's general dental practice committee, said: "Millions are still missing out on dental care, and patients will be paying the price for years to come, adding that the target-based approach is "driving low morale" among staff.

"Dentists in England have had capacity slashed by pandemic restrictions and need help to get patients back through their doors.

"Sadly, while every other UK nation has committed funds, Westminster chose to impose targets that thousands of practices are now struggling to hit.

"But even before Covid there simply wasn't enough NHS dentistry to go round."

Sara Hurley, the NHS's chief dental officer, said urgent care provision had risen to pre-pandemic levels since December.

She added: “It’s inevitable that the upheaval caused by Covid has disrupted some people’s dental care, but dentists have been prioritising treatment for patients in urgent need, in part through the rapid establishment of 600 urgent dental centres – with millions still getting care through the pandemic."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “The Government continues to support the dental sector and we are working closely with the health service to increase access to NHS dental care as fast as possible.”

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