Over 90% of people can access NHS dentistry

Feel free to revel in the following meaningless statisitcs........ the most striking aspect of which is that over a 1000 people didn't even know why they made an appointment with a dentist !!!!!!! The results of latest the quarterly GP Patient Survey (March-Jun 2010) have been published. Headline results include: 93% of respondents who tried to obtain an appointment within the past 2 years were successful, but 42% of respondents did not try to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in the last 2 years. 82% of the most recent appointments sought were with the dental practice previously attended. In these cases, the successful percentage over the past 2 years was 95%.

Main results

• 140,700 responses, 35% of the 400,000 people contacted.
• 58% of adults in the survey tried to obtain an appointment with an NHS dentist in the 2 year period before April to June 2010 quarter;
• 93% of respondents who tried to obtain an appointment within the past 2 years were successful. 7% were unsuccessful (Success percentages exclude those who didn't remember the outcome, unless stated otherwise).
• Respondents who have tried more recently are more successful. 95% of respondents trying within the past three or six months were stated they were successful.
• For 79% of adults the last appointment sought was for routine dentistry; 17% were seeking an urgent appointment, 3% other type of appointment and 1% could not remember.
• 82% of the most recent appointments sought were with the dental practice previously attended. In these cases, the successful percentage over the past 2 years was 95%*.
• For the 15% of patients who sought appointments with a new dental practice in the last two years, 77% were successful, 21% they were unsuccessful and 2% couldn't remember the outcome.
• North East SHA area had the largest percentage of the adult population seeking an NHS dental appointment in the last 2 years, at 65%, whilst London SHA had the smallest, where 52% sought an NHS appointment.
• Success in getting an appointment. North East and West Midlands SHAs had the largest percentage, with 95% successful over the last 2 years, compared to South Central SHA with the smallest (91%).
• For patients seeking an appointment in the last 2 years at a practice they had not been to before, South East Central and West Midlands had the largest percentage successful, with 82%* and South Central the smallest (68%*);

Adults who have not tried to get an NHS appointment in the last 2 years:

• 42% of respondents did not try to get an appointment with an NHS dentist in the last 2 years,
• The most frequent reason for not trying for an NHS dental appointment in the previous 2 years was 'l stayed with my dentist when they moved from NHS to private' which was mentioned by 22% of adults. The next reason 'l have not needed to visit a dentist' was 18% of responses.
• 17% had not tried because they thought they would not be able to find an NHS dentist