A large number of people queued outside a dentistry as it announced taking new NHS patients bringing a hope to many Brits who have been waiting to get an appointment. Bristol dentist opened its doors to around thousands of new NHS patients on Saturday, September 6.
Lodge Causeway Dental Centre in Fishponds will take new patient registrations, both in-person and by phone, between 8am and 4pm. The demand is already high, with 150 people reportedly queuing ahead of time. To register, patients must provide a valid NHS number. The surge in interest mirrors the chaotic scenes witnessed outside St Pauls Dental earlier this year, when it announced it was accepting new patients, leading to long queues and overwhelming turnout.
A British Dental Association (BDA) spokesperson said “It’s estimated that as many as one in four people in Bristol have unmet NHS dental needs. Recent polling suggests that among those who could not get an NHS dental appointment, more than a quarter (26%) have resorted to DIY dentistry, while 19% went abroad for treatment.”
To handle the anticipated surge in demand, a team of four receptionists have been made available on Saturday at the Dental centre This follows a busy period in July when the practice released thousands of urgent care appointments, drawing significant public interest.
However, the current registration drive marks a shift in focus, from short-term treatment to welcoming new patients for ongoing dental care.
The dentistry has taken on board three new dentists, and a spokesperson estimates they could take as many as 3,000 new patients.
A spokesperson for the dental practice had said: “We’re pleased to offer an opportunity for new NHS patients from our local community to register with us, in response to the ongoing high demand for NHS dental care in the area.
“To ensure we can manage enquiries efficiently and continue to provide uninterrupted service to our existing patients, we’ve chosen to open our appointment books for new registrations on one dedicated Saturday.”