Patients with abscesses and other dangerous conditions are being left at risk as dental surgeries go bust

Millions of patients face being left without a dentist as one in five practices are on the brink of collapse this month.

A sharp loss of income since the government banned all routine dental care during the coronavirus crisis has crippled practices, with many poised to close permanently. Some have already been forced out of business.

A British Dental Association (BDA) survey of 2,800 practices found 71.5% said they could stay “financially sustainable” for only three months at the most. More than one in five, 20.4%, said they would not survive beyond April. Mick Armstrong, who chairs the association, said: “Practices are weeks from a cliff edge. Without meaningful support, the nation’s dental services face decimation.”

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Source: The Times, 12 Aril 2020