Ethnic minorities and young people are less successful in getting NHS dental appointments according to new figures.

The GP Patient Survey, published by PIF member NHS England earlier this month, included questions about people's experiences of NHS dentistry.

Of those that tried to get an appointment in the last two years, 91.6% were successful. 

However, there were differences in success rates between different ethnic groups. The success rates by ethnicity were:

  • White – 92.8%
  • Mixed – 87.7%
  • Asian or Asian British – 85.3%
  • Black or Black British – 85.1%
  • Other Ethnic Group – 80.1%

Young people also reported lower success rates than other age groups.

Those aged 18-24 and 25-34 reported 88.7% and 88.8% success rates.

All age groups from 45 and above reported more than 90% success rates.

A total of 740,000 people responded to the survey which took place from January to March 2020 – largely before the outbreak of COVID-19 and subsequent lockdown.

Of those who tried to get a dentist appointment in the last two years, 84.3% rated their experience as positive, 50.8% as very good and 33.4% as fairly good.

NHS England