North Wales politician calls for urgent action on ‘broken’ dental services

Sam Rowlands, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has urged the Welsh Government to acknowledge what he calls a worsening crisis in NHS dental access across the region.

Speaking in the Senedd, Mr Rowlands challenged First Minister Eluned Morgan, highlighting that many North Wales residents are struggling to secure NHS dental appointments.

He accused the government of presenting an overly positive picture of the situation while patients are left without essential care.

“Far too many people in North Wales are unable to access the NHS dentists and NHS dental treatment that they need,” he said. “There seems to be a difference between what you’re saying and the reality residents are experiencing week in and week out. They cannot access the NHS dentist that they need, they’re not able to have the treatment that they’re absolutely desperate to receive.”

His comments follow criticism from the British Dental Association (BDA) Cymru Wales, which last month accused the Welsh Government of presenting “half-truths” in its messaging about NHS dentistry.

Mr Rowlands asked the First Minister whether admitting there was a problem was the first step toward making real improvements.

In response, Eluned Morgan acknowledged there was a gap in provision but stressed that dentists could not be forced to work for the NHS.

Mr Rowlands argued that the issue was particularly harmful to vulnerable residents: “We know dental services in North Wales are broken and they need to be fixed. Patients are facing unacceptable delays, and families resorting to private treatment are struggling with the cost. It’s simply not acceptable.”

New Dental Portal Launched

In an effort to improve access, the Welsh Government launched a new online portal in February to help residents register their interest in receiving NHS dental treatment.

The system is intended to streamline access and provide health boards with a clearer picture of demand.

Jeremy Miles, the Welsh Health Secretary, said: “Access to NHS dentistry is not where we or the public want it to be. This new service will help people who may not have seen a dentist for some time get access to routine NHS appointments.”

The service allows individuals to register for NHS dental treatment, with health boards allocating appointments as availability allows.

Deeside.com tested the portal nearly a month ago, registering interest, but has yet to receive any further information.

Sam Hall, director of primary care digital services at Digital Health and Care Wales, said the system aims to make the process simpler and fairer. “We now have a national platform that can provide a clearer picture of demand for routine NHS Wales dental services,” he said.