Why is it so hard to find an NHS dentist?

Dentistry is high on the public and political agenda. There have been dozens of headlines about access to NHS dentistry, with some people having to travel huge distances to find a dentist, or being put onto long waiting lists to get an NHS appointment. In this episode of Inside Health, James Gallagher is joined by chairman of the British Dental Association Eddie Crouch, the Oral Health Foundation's Dr Rachael England, and consultant oral surgeon Tom Thayer. Together, they drill into the issues surrounding NHS dentistry. Along the way, they discuss possible solutions, whether contract reforms will help, and the potential future of dentistry in the UK. Presenter: James Gallagher Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell and Thomas Hunt Production coordinator: Stuart Laws Content editor: Ilan Goodman

You can listen to Why is it so hard to find an NHS dentist? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why is it so hard to find an NHS dentist? is an episode from Inside Health by BBC.

This episode is 27:52 long.

This episode was published on Feb 17, 2026.

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