Residents in Knighton are calling for better NHS dental provisions in Powys.

Deteriorating teeth, children who have never seen a dentist and army veterans unable to register are on the list of problems allegedly caused by the lack of NHS dental provision.

One Kinghton resident, Lyn Gardenchild, said she has been trying very hard to find a dental practice in her hometown which accepts NHS patients.

Ms Gardenchild said: “There is one dentist in Knighton which used to accept NHS patients but no longer does so and will not be doing so in the future.

“Instead, you can only get treated if you pay into a private dental scheme - one which I, and many other people on low income just simply cannot afford.”

She said she had already had to use the practice’s emergency dental service but did not feel “welcome” as an NHS patient.

The other problem facing NHS dentist patients in rural areas, like Ms Gardenchild in Knighton, is the ability to attend appointments further afield without the ability to drive.

Ms Gardenchild, who has written to Powys Teaching Health board about her concerns, said: “I do not drive and have to rely on public transport, so getting to other practices which would accept me at times when I can use public transport to get me to and from an appointment is impossible.”

Ms Gardenchild said her main concern is why the same service doesn’t apply to NHS dentists as with opticians and why there is a shortage of NHS dentists when there are no issues with local NHS optician provisions.

Ms Gardenchild said: “Currently, it’s impossible to get dental treatment in an emergency if you are not registered with a private dentist.

“People are asked to ring 111 or ‘If you are unable to find NHS dental services or need urgent dental care, call the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board Dental Helpline on: 01633 744387.’

“People are asked about the severity of their pain - I was asked ‘does it keep you awake at night?’. How many thousands of people like me cannot who afford private dental treatment have to wait until they’re in agony before they can get treatment?

“What about children? The elderly who might not be aware of procedures, might not be able to travel? All in all, a truly sadistic and medieval situation.”

Another Knighton resident told The Brecon & Radnor Express that her son had been registered at a Knighton practice but he was removed from the register while he was serving for three and a half years with the army.

She said: “He is currently unable to register again, he has no form of transport and cannot afford private treatment.”

Meanwhile another resident said she had lived in Newtown but had since moved to Knighton and that she has never been able to find an NHS dentist space for any of her children in either of the towns.

The mother said: “I could never find a place for my boys to get their teeth checked and they have never been seen at all in fact - my eldest is six!

“I have had to let one of my wisdom teeth slowly and painfully disintegrate by itself as I cannot afford to go private to have it seen to.

“If there were an NHS dentist locally to me, I would jump at the chance to get my family registered and have a check-up as soon as possible.”

It is not the first time there have been complaints about dental services in Powys - when a Builth Wells practice faced closure in August of 2018, residents reportedly tried to register with dental practices in Brecon, Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells - most of the NHS surgeries were full and with lengthy waiting lists.

The Brecon & Radnor Express approached Powys Teaching Health Board about dental provision across Powys asking whether it is looking to secure more NHS dentists, why there is an issue with NHS dental provisions in the area, and whether there is anything in place for NHS patients who cannot drive to appointments or afford private treatment.

A spokesperson for Powys Teaching Health Board said: “This week we have launched a new dental helpline. Powys residents can call the helpline on 01597 828815 with enquiries about access to NHS dental services.

“People with urgent dental needs – for example, due to dental pain or swelling – and who do not have access to a dentist should continue to call 111 to access urgent dental services.”

The issue of limited NHS dental provisions is not limited to Powys as there has been a shortage of NHS dental provisions across Wales.

Prior to the pandemic, around 40 per cent of all dental practices holding NHS dental contracts in Wales were engaged in or had signed up to be part of contract reform.

The Welsh Government said it hoped that it would be able to restart contract reform next month as part of its ongoing system reform programme aligned to its plan ‘A Healthier Wales’.

As Covid-19 has remained a public health concern meaning dental teams have needed to maintain “necessary infection control measures”, the Welsh Government delayed the contract reform until April 2022.