Why Are NHS Dental Appointments So Hard to Come By?

christy446
Jul 2
3 min read

If you’ve tried to book an NHS dental appointment recently — especially as an adult — you may have been surprised at just how difficult it’s become. You’re not alone. Across the UK, and especially in Leicestershire, NHS dental access has become increasingly limited.

So what’s going on? And what are your options?

At Hermitage Dental Practice, we believe in keeping patients informed — whether you're with us already or simply looking for answers.

The NHS Dental System in a Nutshell

NHS dental care is delivered through contracts held by dental practices. These contracts set a fixed annual budget for how much NHS treatment a practice can provide. Once that budget is used up — often well before the end of the year — the practice cannot take on new NHS patients or offer additional NHS treatment without additional funding.

The problem is: The demand for NHS dental care far outweighs the available NHS capacity.

So Why Is Access So Limited?

Here are a few key reasons:

1. Limited NHS Contracts

Not every practice holds an NHS contract — and fewer still hold them for adult patients. At Hermitage Dental Practice, for instance, we hold a small NHS contract specifically for children but not for adults.

2. Outdated Funding Model

Many practices are working under a contract system introduced in 2006, which hasn't kept pace with modern dental needs or inflation. This often makes NHS work financially unsustainable for many practices.

3. Dentist Shortages

There’s a growing shortage of dentists willing to work under the NHS system, leading to fewer appointments and longer wait times.

4. Post-Pandemic Backlog

COVID-19 caused a major disruption in routine dental care, and the backlog is still being cleared. NHS systems are prioritising emergencies and children, leaving fewer routine slots for adults.

5. Geographic Disparity

Some areas — like ours in Leicestershire — are more affected than others. Many patients travel from neighbouring towns just to find a dentist who are accepting NHS patients.

What We Offer at Hermitage Dental Practice

While we do not hold an NHS contract for adults, we are proud to offer NHS dental care for children — because we believe every child deserves a healthy start.

For adults, we offer a full range of private dental services, including:

Preventive dental health reviews and hygiene care
Fillings, crowns, and restorative work
Cosmetic dentistry (whitening, veneers, Invisalign and Dental Implants)
Emergency appointments when you need us most

Our private adult services come with flexible options, clear pricing, and shorter waiting times — without the unpredictability of NHS access issues. We also offer 0% finance for up to 12 months.

How to save money at a Private Dentist

One of the best ways to save money at Hermitage Dental Practice is to join a membership plan. These come with a range of benefits, including:

Budgeting on a monthly plan so that all of your routine dentistry is covered. Our plans start from £23.93 per month, less than most mobile phone bills.
All routine dental health reviews and hygiene examinations are covered in the cost of the plan as long as you have been a member for 6 months (first hygiene visit after joining the plan is payable but you will receive a 10% discount)
10% discounts off most treatments (excluding cosmetic dentistry)
Priority appointments for plan members
X-rays included (as clinically required)
Global Dental A&E scheme with worldwide accident and emergency cover for those unexpected events. www.globaldentalscheme.co.uk
Complimentary emergency appointments, you will be seen on the same day as a plan member if you contact us at 8.30am.

For just 79 p per day (less than a pint of milk) it’s possible to save around 10% on many treatments at the dentist, and when this is coupled with a preventative plan to reduce the amount of treatment required, it can really add up to a huge saving.

Signing up for a dental patient membership scheme

It’s simple to sign up to our dental patient membership scheme, simply call us on 01530 510533 or enquiring when you come into the practice. We can also send you a link in order to complete this online.