Scarborough And Whitby MP Raises 'Dental Desert' Crisis In Parliament

The severe lack of access to NHS dentistry in Scarborough and Whitby has been highlighted in the House of Commons by local MP Alison Hume, as the government promises fundamental reforms to tackle regional dental deserts.

The severe shortage of NHS dental provision on the Yorkshire Coast has been brought to the attention of ministers in the House of Commons.

Alison Hume, the Member of Parliament for Scarborough and Whitby, highlighted the struggles faced by her constituents when trying to access basic dental care, describing her constituency as a dental desert.

Speaking during a parliamentary debate, the MP detailed the specific difficulties faced by elderly residents and the shocking lack of available practices taking on new patients.

Alison Hume said:

"Two constituents of mine who moved to Scarborough were appalled to find that not a single dental practice was taking NHS patients.

They were told that they could be put on a waiting list. Unfortunately, the waiting lists were 10 years and at age 80 and 77, they didn't think it was likely they'd even get to the top.

I called 13 dental practices in my constituency. Only one in Whitby is taking on adults on the NHS, but only to those with the Whitby postcode. No dental practice in Scarborough is taking on adults under the NHS.

We cannot judge success on national averages while people in coastal communities such as Scarborough and Whitby feel stranded."

The local MP also raised concerns about how the current system impacts vulnerable groups, noting that Integrated Care Boards face challenges in directing care to those who need it most.

Alison Hume added:

"My constituency of Scarborough and Whitby is a dental desert, and I'm worried about all my constituents not having access to an NHS dentist, but particularly those with disabilities.

Because people can attend any dental practice, and dental practice can choose who to deliver care to, this means that integrated care boards can't decide who dentists see under their core contract. This makes it really difficult for ICBs to target access at particular patient groups.

And whilst I applaud the progress made so far, what specific targeted action is being taken to address the complete lack of access to NHS dentistry in coastal towns like Scarborough?"

Responding to concerns about dental provision, Stephen Kinnock, the Minister of State for the Department of Health and Social Care, acknowledged the scale of the crisis across the country.

The minister described the current situation as a Dickensian state of affairs where people have resorted to do-it-yourself dentistry, noting that tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged between five and nine.

Stephen Kinnock outlined the government's two-fold approach to get NHS dentistry back on its feet and make it fit for the future, which includes consulting on long-term reforms to the dental contract within the current parliament.

Stephen Kinnock said:

"We are taking important steps towards improving access in dental deserts and rural areas, and delivering a better deal for dentists. We are bolstering the workforce with thousands more dentists, delivering more dental school places in underserved areas, and reinvesting nearly £400 million back into NHS dentistry, thanks to our work on the underspend."

The minister stated that the government is on track to deliver more than two and a half million additional dental treatments compared to the period before the General Election. He also highlighted a 2026 reform package that embeds urgent dental care into NHS practices and offers dentists higher payments for treating patients who need urgent care for issues such as severe pain or infections.

To address workforce shortages, Stephen Kinnock confirmed that the exam process for fully qualified overseas dentists has been reformed, allowing over two thousand extra dentists to register each year from 2028. Furthermore, he announced that newly qualified dentists will now be required to practice in the NHS for a minimum period of at least three years, and confirmed the creation of two new dental schools to train a new generation of practitioners.