CHILDREN wait over half a year to be seen by a dentist, new statistics revealed. 

Dan Boatright-Greene, the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Mid-Worcestershire, said it is 'heart breaking' that children in his local area are waiting so long to be seen by a dentist, let alone receive the treatment they need.

Data collected by the Liberal Democrats found that children wait on average 26 weeks for a routine assessment across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

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Around 27,000 children in the county were waiting for a routine assessment for community dental services in January 2023. 

The behind the long waits is that dental services are still recovering from the pandemic, where they lost 12 months' worth of dental appointments because of lockdowns and infection control measures. 

The statistics found that some children on NHS waiting lists for dental care include those with severe tooth decay or other serious dental problems.

Cllr Boatright-Greene had spoken out about his concern for his constituents and is calling for urgent action. 

“It is heartbreaking to think that children in our community have to wait half a year just to be seen by a dentist, let alone receive the treatment they need," he said.

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"Many are left waiting in pain for the specialised dental care they need. 

“We need urgent action to give every child access to the dental care they need.

“NHS community dental services are a crucial lifeline for vulnerable patients across our society, from children to older people.

"The government must take urgent action to address this dental crisis, including tackling staff shortages and reforming the broken system that has driven dentists away from offering NHS appointments.” 

In response, Mid-Worcestershire MP Nigel Huddleston said the Government provided £50 million in funding across England to support 350,000 additional dental appointments, which was targeted towards urgent care with vulnerable patients prioritised.

He added NHS England is working with local dental schools and colleges to encourage recruitment in the Midlands with a Golden Hello scheme.

“Improving access to NHS dentistry is one of the Government's key priorities for the health service," Mr Huddleston said.

"Progress is being made, but despite a record number of dentists treating NHS patients, I am aware demand is high, and some of my constituents are struggling to get timely appointments. 

"Work is being done, but I am aware more is needed to enhance our local dentist provision.”