During the NFWI Annual General Meeting in June, WI members voted to launch a campaign to highlight their deep concern about the crisis in NHS dentistry and to bring about positive change.
The resolution which triggered this vote stated:
“There is a chronic shortage of NHS Dentists and people are suffering health issues as a result. The NFWI calls on the Government to increase investment in the training and retention of dentists and to review the current inadequate NHS contracts in order to ensure everyone can access an NHS dentist wherever they live”
More than 12 million people were unable to access NHS dental care in 2023 . This is more than 1 in 4 adults in England. And 90% of dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients. Tooth decay is the number one reason for children to be admitted to hospital.
The WI wants all it’s members to get behind this campaign and to ensure that the Labour government addresses the woeful situation in UK NHS dentistry and has published resources on MyWI to help members get involved.
The campaign materials encourage members to write to their MPs, and include suggestions to share their experiences about trying to access dental care, or their story if they are a dental professional.