Kent man with agonising tooth pain waits months for NHS dentist

John Munro told ITV Meridian's James Dunham the pain is excruciating but he can't afford the £1500 extraction fee at a private clinic.

A man from Sittingbourne says he's been suffering agonising tooth pain waiting months for dentistry treatment on the NHS. John Munro's ordeal began last Easter. Since then he's been dosing up on 50 paracetamol every week while he awaits a specialist.His plight echoes that of many who struggle to get an NHS dentist.

Figures show there were 45,204 dentists registered with the General Dental Council as of December 2023, but only around two-thirds provide any NHS-funded dental care.

John Munro has been desperately hoping to see an NHS dentist since early April with private clinics asking for an unaffordable £1500 to perform the extraction to deal with his unbearable toothache.

Penty of pain killers take up space in John Munro's medicine box Credit: ITV Meridian

"The pain is absolutely excruciating, it goes from my chin up into my head," said Mr Munro.

"I'm taking 100 paracetamol over two weeks. I'm on the second box in a month now, which I've nearly finished and I just can't put up with the pain any more."

"People with cancer and all that, I understand they've got priority, I see that situation and I know that situation. But there's people like myself and probably hundreds of others out there that need treatment and can't get it."

In 2023, just four in 10 adults in the South East saw an NHS dentist within the previous two years. Credit: ITV Meridian

In 2023, just four in 10 adults in the South East saw an NHS dentist within the previous two years.

The NHS says £200 million is being spent to deliver millions more appointments.

Eddie Crouch from the British Dental Association said, "What we need is real ambition from any future Government. We need them to work alongside the profession so that we can deliver a much better service for our patients."

Eddie Crouch, British Dental Association Credit: ITV Meridian

"And if we are to not invest more money into dentistry then I think we need an honest conversation with the population and the Parliamentarians to decide what the money they're spending on NHS dentistry needs to be focused on."John, meanwhile, has kept a log of all his private appointments. On Friday he'll be able to add an NHS assessment to the list.

The health trust he's been referred to told us it will see him after hearing of his worsening condition.

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