Dental insurance at record levels as NHS in crisis

Record numbers of people are turning to dental insurance amid a deepening NHS dental crisis.

New figures show 3.8 million people covered by some kind of dental plan in 2022 – up from 3.2m in 2019. The trends have seen the size of the market rise by almost one quarter, from £710m to £868m.

Research from market analysts Laing Buisson also shows demand for private health cover is now the highest it has been since 2008, with 7.3 million people now covered in the UK.

It follows warnings of a mounting crisis in NHS dentistry, with research last year finding four in five would only take private patients.

A government survey published in January found one in four adults have delayed dental care or treatment because of the cost.

Dentists are being offered “golden hellos” of £20,000 as part of government efforts to persuade them to work in short-staffed areas, and bonuses for seeing NHS patients who have not had an appointment within the last two years.

In February, police were forced to intervene and send people home when hundreds of people queued for appointments when a new practice opened in Bristol.

Tim Reed, author of the LaingBuisson report, said: “With more and more people finding themselves unable get an appointment with NHS dentists, it comes as little surprise to find growing numbers choosing to take out dental cover – not just for themselves, but also to ensure their families are able to get the treatments they need, when they need it.”

He said many dentists were turning away from NHS care, amid frustration with the contracts on offer from the NHS.

Analysts highlighted recent record growth in the dental insurance market, with a 22 per cent rise in private dental subscription services, on the heels of a 23 per cent increase the year before.

The analysis tracks private dental services back to 2007, before which dental insurance had been declining.

The report said most private dentistry was still being paid for up front – with only around one quarter of all treatments covered by insurance plans.

Dennis Reed, from Silver Voices, a campaign group for the over 60s, said NHS dentistry was now in a “desperate situation”.

He said: “What really worries me is all the people who cannot afford private dentistry, who end up in A&E, or letting their teeth fall out, or trying to take matters into their own hands.”

‘Breaking down’

“I don’t think any of the political parties realise just how serious this matter is; the very fabric of our public health system is breaking down.”

It follows recent warnings from a leading think tank that universal NHS dentistry had now likely “gone for good” with “unpalatable choices” ahead.

The Nuffield Trust said the health service should admit it was failing to offer such a service, and instead strip back the offer, so everyone could get the most basic care.

Thea Stein, chief executive of the think tank, said: “It is no surprise that people are turning to private dental insurance to guarantee access to a dentist when they need it.

“NHS dentistry is at its most perilous point in its history and recent reforms will not be enough to reverse the swathes of dental deserts across the country.

“Private dentistry is only an answer for a lucky minority; a radical rethink is needed. Sadly, this just reinforces an unfair system where those who can afford it can get access while those who can’t are too often forced to wait or take matters into their own hands.”

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Patients turning to private health insurance to be able to get dental care shows NHS dentistry is failing patients.

“Not being able to see a dentist can have a significant impact on health and well-being.”

‘Two-tier system’

Louise Ansari, chief executive at Healthwatch England, which campaigns for patients, said: “With access to NHS dental care remaining the second most significant challenge people report to us nationwide, we’re facing a two-tier system where access to dentistry is often available faster to people who can afford to pay for it.

“Polling we carried out last year showed 28 per cent of people had used private health or dental care, because of concerns about long waits or services not available locally.

However, we know that many of the people who choose private care feel they have no other option but to pay, as they can’t find a local NHS dentist who will treat them.”

Labour’s pledges to improve dental care include supervised tooth brushing for 3 to 5 year-olds in breakfast clubs and extra funding to NHS dental practices to provide  700,000 more urgent appointments.

On Thursday, polling found that close to half of Britons would be willing to pay for better NHS services.

The Savanta poll for The Telegraph found around 40 per cent of respondents said they would be open to paying extra to have operations more quickly and get routine opticians’ check-ups and mental health appointments.