When can people like Emily get an NHS dentist?

Millions of people across the country are unable to get an NHS dentist.

The latest figures show that fewer than half of children saw an NHS dentist in the last year, while just one third of adults saw an NHS dentist in the last two years.

Everyone should be able to access an NHS dentist if they need one and no-one should be forced to face an impossible choice, between paying hundreds of pounds for private care or going without.

The Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix NHS dental services:

- Reforming and increasing funding for the NHS dental services contract, to ensure it:

* Encourages and incentivises dentists to take on NHS patients,

* Meets patient need and demand rather than arbitrary targets,

* Puts an end to ‘dental deserts’.

- Increasing the number of dentist training places in the UK and continued recognition of EU trained dentists’ qualifications.

- Writing into law proper workforce planning for health and social care, including projections for dentists and dental staff.

- Launching an emergency scheme to ensure children, pregnant women and young mothers have access to their free check ups on time.

- Supervised tooth brushing training for children in early years settings, such as nurseries.

- Removing VAT on children’s toothbrushes and children’s toothpaste.