Only a third of dental surgeries will open from Monday, survey reveals

Only a third of dental surgeries are planning to open from Monday, a survey has revealed, as patients are warned even routine treatments will be affected.

Practices have been told they can reopen if adequate coronavirus safety measures are in place, but just 36 per cent in England are ready to resume appointments on June 8, according to a survey of more than 2,000 surgeries by the British Dental Association (BDA).

The biggest obstacle cited was a lack of personal protective equipment, with the majority saying this was the most pressing concern.

Consequently, only 15 per cent of surgeries are able to immediately offer the many common procedures which can result in droplets from the patient's mouth coming into contact with the dentist.

Urgent cases will be priorities at surgeries, which will help avoid those in need of immediate care being left stranded in a long queue.

But patients with dental emergencies who cannot use their usual surgery are advised to call NHS 111 and they will be directed to an urgent dental care centre if required.

For people who wear braces, the British Orthodontic Society have published a series of video tutorials on their website showing how to solve common issues at home.

Mick Armstrong, chairman of the BDA, said dentistry will be limited to a "skeleton service" for the foreseeable future.

"Practices reopening on Monday will struggle to meet the backlog built up over lockdown," he told The Daily Telegraph.

"We had thousands of patients left in limbo midway through courses of treatment, while others who've developed serious problems need our help.

"Too many patients struggled to get appointments before this pandemic. Government must now set out a plan, because access problems will now be hitting every community on an unprecedented scale.”

The BDA has warned that social distancing and decontamination measures will result in longer appointments and therefore fewer patients being seen, resulting in lengthy waiting lists and potential financial difficulties for surgeries.

One worried dentist told the BBC that he would normally see up to 60 patients on an average day, but he will now be limited to around five.

Labour's shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said: "This will no doubt have been an agonising time for those suffering from dental problems during the lockdown.

"The reopening of dental practices is a welcome step, but it is vital that this doesn't risk the health of dentists, patients and staff."