British Man Rejected From NHS Dental Appointment Forced To Go Private, Later Diagnosed With Cancer

Almost 8,300 Britons and 54,000 Americans are diagnosed yearly with mouth cancer. This condition leaves the patient in persistent pain and discomfort, and swelling that does not go away. It is a basic right for every individual to gain access to dental care services and receive the needed treatment options.

However, there are cases when a person fails to secure an appointment and receive the necessary dental therapy.

British Man Rejected from NHS Dental Appointment Forced to Go Private, Later Diagnosed with Cancer — Pexels/ Anna Shvets

The Story of a Man Who Got Rejected at NHS

In the UK, a 64-year-old man from Durham who could not get a dental appointment with the National Health Service (NHS) was forced to go to a private dentist. The retired NHS worker suffers from a sore and swollen jaw, which he attributed to his tooth removal last winter. It persisted for several weeks until he found it hard to eat during Christmas. Upon contacting his dentist about the persistent pain, he was told that were 800 people on the waiting list, but he could secure an appointment within a week if he decided to go private.

After spending 50 pounds for the consultation on January 26, Ray was informed that the dental X-ray had detected a large tumor. It was diagnosed as cancerous, and he was scheduled for surgery on February 14. The procedure lasted 16 hours as the surgeons removed part of his jaw to get to the tumor. Part of his bone and leg muscle was used to create a new jaw, followed by a skin graft.

Ray spent six weeks in the hospital after the operation before undergoing weekly radiotherapy sessions. Although he is only allowed to consume fluids through a tube connected to his stomach, Ray is still grateful that he got the opportunity to be seen privately. According to Ray, he might not have been alive today if he had not forked out the cash to go private.

Dentistry Crisis in the UK

Almost 11 million people in the UK failed to secure an NHS dental appointment in 2022. At the beginning of 2023, only one NHS dental practice could accommodate 4,975 people. Ray's story reflects the crisis in NHS dentistry, which started during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a new survey from the British Dental Association (BDA), the country is experiencing an exodus of dentists at a continuous pace. Half of the dentist population reduced their NHS commitment since the beginning of the pandemic. About 74% of dentists intend to reduce the amount of NHS work this year. Meanwhile, 45% are likely to go fully private, change careers, or seek early retirement.

This crisis is attributed to the failure of the British government to secure contracts and funding. It has left the country to face the worst access crisis in history. According to BDA, it is an urgent duty of the government and the opposition to develop a plan of action to rebuild the dental service in the country.