Access to NHS dentists in Blackpool

I spoke in the House of Commons about Louise, a single mum in Blackpool South, who had to watch her 4-year-old son suffer in agony, unable to access dental care.

Her story is heartbreaking but sadly not unique. In Blackpool South, just 34% of adults have seen an NHS dentist in the last two years. That represents a sharp decline from over 50% a few years ago and is well below the national average. Only 45% of children were seen in the past year – a figure that is lower than almost anywhere else in England.  

I am pleased that the Government has rolled out 700,000 more urgent dentist appointments, and I welcome their commitment to reforming the dental contract and recruiting new dentists in areas that need them most, such as Blackpool. But I urge them to act now. People in Blackpool South are not asking for special treatment. They are just asking for treatment – and the simple assurance that toothache will not become a trauma.