Bristol: Queues for NHS dental treatment hit third day

People are queueing for a third consecutive day to register as NHS patients at a new dental practice.

St Pauls Dental Practice in Ashley Road, Bristol, opened for in-person registrations on Monday.

Dentists running the new practice said they have enrolled 1,500 people in two days but will have to soon turn newcomers away.

The government has announced a £20,000 bonus to dentists who set up practice in areas with poor access to NHS care.

The payment is part of a government strategy to get more people to work for three years in so-called 'dental deserts' with the worse health service access.

One of the dentists managing the new practice, Dr Gauri Pradhan, said there was a fist fight on Tuesday because somebody had jumped the queue.

People have been queueing for the St Pauls practice since 06:00 GMT, with about 60 present when the doors opened, and some told the BBC they have had to take the day off work to be there.

Miles Chambers, Bristol's first city poet laureate, was among those in Wednesday's queue.

He says his teeth have been falling out and he is "really desperate" to get them fixed.

"I think it is just sugar," he said.

Claudette, who was one of the first in the queue, told the BBC she has had to turn to "really expensive" private dental care.

She said: "I have spent about £600 in the last two years.

"I am waiting for a tooth extraction. I have a got a temporary filling at the moment. I looked at the prices and I am looking at hundreds of pounds, so I was desperate to join".

A BBC investigation in 2022 found nine in 10 NHS dental practices across the UK were not accepting new adult patients for treatment on the NHS.

The new St Pauls Dental Practice replaces the former Bupa Dental Care site that closed last year despite a public campaign to keep it open.

The old practice was contracted to serve 10,000 patients but could only accommodate 4,000 due to staffing issues.

Dr Gauri Pradhan, principal dentist director, told the BBC: "Initially it was very exciting because we opened up and saw queues.

"But it is a bit daunting as well because we know we will not be able to get through this crowd.

"At some point we have got to say no, because we are held by our contract.

"It is heartbreaking that we will have to say no to some people."

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