NHS officials have reported that nearly half of the urgent dental appointments available in certain areas of Wales are not being utilized.
In Gwent, around 20% of NHS-funded emergency dental slots remain unfilled. In Monmouthshire, recent figures from September show that 44% of these appointments were not taken.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which oversees NHS dental care in the region, is evaluating whether it has accurately assessed local dental needs. Officials are also looking into whether residents are unaware of how to access these urgent appointments. A new online portal is expected to launch on November 20, serving as a central waiting list for dental treatment. This portal will be accessible via the health board’s website and will include a helpline for individuals who prefer to register by phone.
Dental services in Gwent are provided by private practices. There are more than 70 locations offering NHS treatments, including 10 in Monmouthshire, 11 in Blaenau Gwent, 14 in Newport, and the same number in Torfaen. The Caerphilly unitary authority area has 25 practices.
This year, six practices, including four in Monmouthshire, returned their NHS contracts. However, Lloyd Hambridge, the primary care director for Aneurin Bevan, stated that these contracts have all been retendered. Patients registered with NHS dentists have been referred to other practices.
Mr. Hambridge noted that an increasing number of practices are opting to work under the Welsh Government’s new dental contract, which differs from the older contract established in 2006.
He explained, “More practices are moving to the reformed contract than sticking with the older ones. Some feel this new contract works better for them.”
The 2006 contracts were based on “units of dental activity,” which included routine six-month check-ups. In contrast, the new contract focuses on assessed clinical needs.
Mr. Hambridge emphasized that the health board believes the new contract ensures “the right people are seen at the right time,” rather than just on a routine basis for those who may not need regular check-ups.
He added, “Patients will now have a follow-up time period tailored to their oral health needs.”
During the 2023/24 financial year, eight practices in Monmouthshire operated under the older contract, but now all 10 are on the new contract.
Councillors reminded residents that the practices that stopped working with the NHS have not closed down; they have simply ceased to participate in the publicly funded service.
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