Sussex children wait on NHS dentist waiting lists for months

Over 200 children were found to be stuck on NHS waiting lists for treatment for tooth decay and other dental problems with an average waiting time of 13 weeks.

A Freedom of Information request by the Liberal Democrats found that the four-month average comes for children waiting for treatment under general anaesthetic.

James MacCleary, the party’s parliamentary candidate in Lewes, said: "As a parent with two young children, it is heartbreaking to think that children in our community are being left waiting in pain for the specialised dental care they need.

"NHS community dental services are a crucial lifeline for vulnerable patients across our society, from children to older people. The collapse of NHS dentistry has become just another symptom of the general decline in our health services under the Conservatives.

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"The government must take urgent action to address this dental crisis, including tackling staff shortages and reforming the broken system that has driven dentists away from offering NHS appointments."

National data also found that 27,000 children were waiting for routine assessments for community services in January, 2023.

Liberal Democrats are calling over £400 million to be redeployed to help remedy the issue.