Dentists in Northern Ireland 'considering pulling NHS services'

Many dentists in Northern Ireland are considering pulling out of providing NHS dental care due to continuing Covid-19 restrictions, says the British Dental Association (BDA).

Some procedures such as fillings are considered to pose a high risk of spreading coronavirus infection.

Dentists have been able to provide routine check-ups but many procedures mean the surgeries must be left vacant for a period after appointments and additional cleaning must be carried out.

That has reduced the number of patients that dentists are able to see - in some cases to less than half the number pre-pandemic, says the BDA.

20 July 2021