Organisations across Cornwall have agreed a new action plan to improve access to NHS dental services, following a dentistry summit held earlier this year.
The Cornwall Dentistry Summit took place in July and brought together key organisations to discuss the challenges facing NHS dentistry in the county. After the event, a panel met to review the issues raised and agree a series of actions designed to address concerns around dental access and oral health.
The group identified four main priorities: improving children's oral health and reducing inequalities, increasing public understanding of how to access dental services, strengthening the dental workforce, and seeking greater local flexibility while pressing the Government on national barriers affecting the sector.
As part of the action plan, organisations agreed to prioritise children's oral health and prevention programmes, develop a coordinated communications strategy, advocate collectively for workforce reform and increased training opportunities, establish a Cornwall dental pilot working group, and take a joint approach to tackling procurement, commissioning and workforce challenges.
Cornwall Council's cabinet member for community safety and public health, Councillor Thalia Marrington, said all organisations involved had committed to delivering the agreed actions.
"We now have all of the organisations involved agreed to move forward with the actions and have their commitment to make sure they happen," she said.
"We will meet again in six months' time to hold us all accountable in driving this forward."
Cornwall Council leader Leigh Frost said while many of the issues affecting NHS dentistry are shaped by national policy, local organisations still have an important role to play in influencing change.
"The debate has highlighted we are constrained by national policy in a lot of the issues but that doesn't mean we can't all work together to try to influence change in these areas," he said.
"We now have all the right people around the table to push this forward and a joint commitment to make a positive change."
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Concerns about access to NHS dental treatment were highlighted during discussions, with Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly's director of public health, Eunan O'Neill, describing some of the experiences shared by residents as "very worrying".
"We have heard some very worrying stories about people in Cornwall who have felt like their only option is to pull their own teeth out," he said.
"It's very alarming and we need people to understand that there is access to NHS dental services in an emergency."
Mr O'Neill said the public health team would also increase efforts to improve children's dental health by ensuring families have access to advice and information on oral hygiene and prevention.
Dr Chris Reid, chief medical officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, welcomed the commitment from partners across the Duchy and said collaborative working would be key to improving services.
"While we know NHS dentistry faces significant challenges nationally, we are determined to do everything we can locally to improve access," he said.
Dr Reid said the Integrated Care Board had already invested in additional urgent dental appointments, a mobile dental unit, recruiting more dentists and supporting practices to take on NHS dental contracts.
"By working together across the NHS, local government and dental providers, we want to help more people get timely dental care and improve oral health for our communities," he added.
Cornwall Groups Agree Plan to Boost NHS Dental Access