Peterborough to receive 14,000 new emergency dental appointments to address 'dental desert'

Peterborough is set to benefit from an increase in urgent dental appointments as part of a new government initiative to address the growing concern of "dental deserts" across England.

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that Peterborough and Cambridgeshire will receive 14,000 new emergency dental appointments- starting in April- as part of a wider national plan to provide 700,000 extra urgent appointments across the country.

The extra appointments will be available in April and have been targeted at dental deserts - areas where patients particularly struggle to access NHS dentists. The lack of NHS dentists is one of the biggest issues residents raise with local MP Andrew Pakes, either through email or at regular advice surgeries.

The Health Minister Stephen Kinnock MP visited Thistlemoor Medical Centre last week, where the topic of the NHS issues facing the city, including dentistry, was discussed.

This boost comes at a crucial time for Peterborough, which has been identified as one of the worst-affected areas in the country for dental access.

Between 2019 and 2024, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire lost 63 NHS dentists.

The most recent data has shown that 44% of five-year-olds in Peterborough have some form of tooth decay, compared to only a third elsewhere in Cambridgeshire.

Andrew Pakes MP said: “This announcement is a welcome step towards addressing the dental crisis in Peterborough. The decline in NHS dentists under the last government is one of the biggest issues people raise with me. For too long, residents have struggled to access essential dental care. These additional appointments will provide much-needed relief for those in urgent need of treatment.

“I spoke to the Minister about NHS dental care in the city when he visited Thistlemoor Medical Centre last week. It will take time to fix the NHS, but I will keep fighting to get the NHS dental services we need in Peterborough.”

Health Minister Stephen Kinnock MP added:"NHS dentistry has been left broken after years of neglect, with patients left in pain without appointments or queueing around the block just to be seen.

“The new appointments will be available for patients likely to be in pain, including those suffering from infections or needing urgent repairs. Residents can access these appointments by contacting their usual dental practice or calling NHS 111 if they don't have a regular dentist or need help out-of-hours.”