Some people in Merseyside have been waiting "over two years" to have vital dental treatment as the country faces a shortage of dentists taking on NHS patients
Those in need of vital dental work and surgery have found themselves waiting months and even years in huge waiting lists for NHS dentists in Merseyside. Their frustrations have been caused by a local and national dentistry shortage, with zero dentists in Liverpool and Merseyside taking on new NHS patients.
After one ECHO reporter "spent hours" trying to find an available NHS dentist in Merseyside, calling 49 separate NHS dentists in the area (none of which could offer an appointment), readers came forward with their own experiences with the issue.
READ MORE: I spent hours trying to get a NHS dentist appointment in Liverpool
Responding to the ECHO article, one reader, Liz, said: "Try looking for a dentist when you're in extreme pain. Even funnier." She ended the comment with a disgruntled emoji.
Another reader's frustrations dwarfed the "hours" the ECHO spent trying to find an available NHS dentist. He simply said: "Been waiting nine months..."
Yet, another man said he had been waiting for over 18 months and has still not been taken on by any NHS dentists in the city. He said: "Hours? Try two years. Still looking now"
One person, who said they themselves were an NHS dentist in the city, said: "I’m an NHS dentist in Liverpool. We are not taking new NHS patients on.
"I work to the max every day trying to keep up with the patients we do have in our list. Trust me, the government do not make it easy for us to keep our books open. It is very stressful.
"I hope people don’t just lob blame on the dentists themselves. It is really not that simple"
Another person took the shortage as a worrying sign. They believed the shortage that has hit NHS dentists all around the country is a sign of things to come for the rest of the National Health Service.
They said: "This will be happening to the NHS very shortly, why oh why people constantly keep voting for ultra right-wing policies is far beyond me. Surely people should understand by now what these [people] will do.
"When it comes to services or profit which do you think will win?"
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