CONCRETE action is needed to stop a dentistry crisis growing out of control in Wales, a Senedd Member has warned.

Peter Fox, Monmouth MS, made the warning after new data showed that less than a fifth of Monmouthshire practices are taking on new patients.

Mr Fox told the Senedd: “I’ve received regular correspondence from anxious constituents, who are struggling to access NHS dentistry services and, worse still, the British Dental Association has now revealed that just 17 per cent of practices in Monmouthshire are currently taking on new patients.

“This week, the First Minister announced in the Chamber that tens of thousands of new appointments will be made. But where and when will these appointments be available?

“Health is a devolved portfolio, so the Welsh Government must take full responsibility for this growing crisis because, under Labour’s watch, accessing an NHS dentist as a new patient is now currently near impossible.

“Wales desperately needs concrete steps to help retention and encourage people to enter the dentistry industry to stop this crisis. The measures also need to ensure NHS patients aren’t disadvantaged by a desire of some dentists to only take on private patients.”