RESIDENTS across Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and Dorset have been struggling to find a dentist taking on new patients. 

It comes as a nationwide issue as people fail to register with a new dental practice.

Covid has created a backlog of waiting times for appointments, and practices don't have the time to see all their patients.

The Daily Echo contacted 12 dentists across the conurbation and all said they could not take on new patients. Only a handful said they could take on private patients. 

Jack Coles, 25, has been trying to register for a dentist since September last year after he needed an appointment for tooth pain which soon turned into a root canal.

He said: “It has been very painful. The pain was as a dull ache all the time having to use Orejel and Anbesol in order to stop the pain.  

“It has kept me up all night and I’ve lost sleep because of it."

Jack only had an appointment after his mother Julia gave hers up. He went privately and still isn’t registered with an NHS dentist. 

Read more: Just three out of 99 dentists in Dorset taking NHS patients

Louise Bate, Healthwatch Dorset manager, said: “Over half the enquiries Healthwatch Dorset receive are from people trying to find an NHS Dentist.   

“The shortage of NHS appointments is a huge issue which widens inequalities and damages people’s health.   

“With escalating living costs, private treatment is simply not an option for most people.   

“We are calling on the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England to urgently reform NHS dentistry.”   

Read more: Dozens of children across BCP had decaying teeth removed during the pandemic

A spokesperson for NHS England and NHS Improvement south west said: “Access to NHS dentists across the country has been greatly affected over the past year by infection prevention control measures, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and ongoing recruitment challenges. 

“To ensure those most in need can access treatment we have provided more than 95 additional urgent care appointments every week across Dorset. 

“Looking ahead, the South West Dental Reform Programme is bringing together commissioners, professionals and the public to improve access to NHS oral health services and develop initiatives to improve recruitment and retention across the region.” 

Healthwatch Dorset advises people call NHS England’s Customer Contact Centre on 0300 311 2233 if they can’t get into a dentist but did warn it was no guaranteed method to get a dentist. In case of an emergency, contact 111.