Sussex Dentists: Major decrease in adults being seen by NHS dentists within recommended two years in Sussex

The number of adults seen by NHS dentists in Sussex within recommended timeframes decreased by 9.5 per cent in June 2022 against the previous year, a report published by NHS Digital shows.
(Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) — The number of adults seen by NHS dentists in Sussex within recommended timeframes decreased by 9.5 per cent in June 2022 against the previous year, a report published by NHS Digital shows. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

16.4 million adults in England were seen for NHS dental treatment in the 24 months up to June 2022, according to NHS Dental Statistics, England 2021-221.

This is a reduction of 9.5 per cent compared to the 24 months up to June 2021, when 18.1m adults were seen to. It is a reduction of 25.3 per cent compared to the 24 months up to June 2019, when 22 million adults were seen to.

The report also shows that 5.6 million children were seen in the 12 months up to June 2024. This is an increase of 42.1 per cent compared to the 12 months up to June 2021 when 3.9 million were seen.

When comparing against the 12 months up to June 2019, the report shows a decrease of 20.2 million, with 7 million children seen to.

In 2021-22, 26.4 million courses of treatment were delivered by NHS dentists. This is an increase of 120 per cent compared to the number delivered in 2020-21, which was 12 million. It is a decrease of 33.6 per cent compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 39.7 million.

In addition, 3.8 million urgent courses of treatment were delivered in 2021-22. This is an increase of 5.7 per cent compared to the number delivered in 2020-21 and an increase of 4.5 per cent compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 3.6 million courses of treatment.

The report contains information about dental activity including patients treated by NHS dentists and the number of patients seen within the maximum recommended gap between appointments.

Dental practices were instructed to close for routine care and provide only urgent treatment on March 25, 2020, as part of COVID-19 restrictions. As a result, the most recent reporting period for which NHS Dental Statistics are unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic was 2018-19. Comparisons against this period, as well as 2020-21, are made in the report.