MOBILE dentist vans and pop-up dental surgeries are being looked at as ways to help West Somerset and Exmoor patients, a report for Somerset councillors on Thursday (February 27) has revealed.

NHS Somerset director of primary care Sukeina Kassam said: “These services will be aimed at isolated communities, rural and coastal areas, and health inclusion groups/those facing health inequalities, to overcome the additional barriers to accessing dental healthcare.”

But Ms Kassam said there were ‘significant challenges’ in trying to deliver such solutions to the district’s ‘dental desert’. She said they included limited availability of suitable mobile dental units and a shortage of additional workforce.

She said despite a ‘golden hello’ of £20,000 being offered for each new dentist who moved to the county and committed to providing NHS services for three years, none had been recruited.

Ms Kassam said: “Many dentists are choosing to leave NHS practices in favour of private work due to frustrations with the current NHS dental contract, which they argue does not adequately compensate them.

“This has created a workforce gap that limits service provision, resulting in long waiting lists and a reduction in the number of available NHS treatment slots.

“Ultimately, the ongoing crisis in NHS dental provision is deepening health inequalities in Somerset, disproportionately affecting those who are already at a disadvantage.

“Without urgent intervention, these disparities will continue to grow, leaving the most vulnerable populations at increased risk of poor oral health and its wider health consequences.

“Addressing these issues requires targeted strategies to improve access for health inclusion groups, ensuring that NHS dental services are distributed equitably and that those who need care the most are not left behind.

“Private dental care is often unaffordable for those on lower wages or reliant on benefits.

“The cost of emergency dental care or private treatment can place additional financial strain on households already struggling, forcing people to make difficult choices between seeking essential healthcare and meeting other basic needs such as food and housing.

“Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly vulnerable.

“Dental decay remains the most common reason for hospital admissions among children in the UK.”

Ms Kassam said part of the challenge faced in trying to improve access to NHS dentists in Somerset was a lack of Government funding.

Current funding levels were only able to support about half of the number of people living in the county.

Ms Kassam said: “This means even with optimal efficiency, a large proportion of people will continue to be unable to access NHS dentistry unless additional funding is secured.”

A Healthwatch Somerset survey published in January revealed families, older people, and vulnerable groups, such as those experiencing homelessness, were worried about the costs of dentistry, which had been made worse by the cost of living crisis.

The British Dental Association’s proposals for restoring NHS services included above-inflation increases in fees to reverse what it said was a 40 per cent loss of income since 2010, with a minimum £35-and-rising fee for a simple check-up, currently set at £28.