A dental bus, which will visit the Isle of Wight in March, has been welcomed by a health watchdog, but the organisation says more needs to be done to fix the Island’s dentist crisis. Healthwatch Isle of Wight has revealed the mobile service will be here for a week every month, starting from March, and will visit Newport, Ryde, Sandown and the West Wight. The Island has lost 5 NHS dental practices in the past year, leading to what Healthwatch has called a huge reduction in care. The consumer champion says more residents are having to travel to the mainland to access NHS dentists, with others resorting to ‘do-it-yourself’ dentistry. NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight — which is in charge of commissioning dental services — is working with Dentaid The Dental Charity to provide the service, as reported by Island Echo earlier this week. Treatment for eligible patients will be free. 
Healthwatch Isle of Wight says it is pleased to be supporting the dental bus, but has urged health bosses to go further. Joanna Smith, Healthwatch Isle of Wight manager, has said:
“We have been working tirelessly with dental commissioners to facilitate this additional service but more needs to be done to reduce the inequality that exists, particularly for people living on the Island, where access is amongst the poorest in the region. “We are very grateful to all those people who have contacted us to share their experiences, which has given us the evidence to highlight these serious issues.”
The Isle of Wight Council’s public health director was contacted for a comment, but a spokesperson said it was a matter for the Integrated Care Board.
Another service for those on benefits. What about the working class that pay their taxes We are all finding it difficult in some way or another.
Yeah, but at least those on benefits will have nice teeth!
Well said John, these parasites get all their dental care and prescriptions free, along with hundreds in tax credits, free rent and council tax, free school uniforms and transportation for their children to be taken to school, free food extra help with energy, so no wonder they have so much more disposable income than many workers now. AND that is Why we have a labour shortage in this country, as if they work only do 16 hours and STILL get all the above as well as a wage.
People oughten to be better off breeding as it encourages the wrong sort to have children who don’t work and just take for life
Stupid comment.
First of all, there are a significant number of families on minimum wage who are also on benefits.
Second, when these people can’t get to see a dentist they frequently end up in A&E after bodged DIY dentistry or, worse, having expensive NHS treatment because something like mouth of throat cancer was not caught by regular checkups.
You may not like the idea of people on benefits getting dental treatment, but it saves the taxpayer money in the long run.
But, hey, being able to look down on people and see them in pain isn’t a waste, eh?
It’s not about looking down on everybody it’s about those that do not contribute have no intention of contributing. Those that get everything handed to them because they plead poverty.
I go to work pay my taxes but nothing put in place to help those that contribute. Why is it because we are above ( only just ) the threshold and receive nothing. It should everybody or no one that’s fair.
How about a wheelchair accessible service somewhere?
Yes I agree with John,
We have had to go private at huge expense and its broke us but had to get treatment after 6 years of nothing.
This is a disgrace to be in this situation.
They talk about inequality but ignore the plain fact that the inequality is between those who can afford private dental treatment and the rest of us who basically have no access to dental services.
Unfortunately 100% of those making policy, and keep telling us what a good job they’re doing, fall into the former category.
No surprise that Simon Bryant didn’t want to answer, he’s a waste of space just like bob and Donna
Another pre election gimmick. If the cons were to win the next election there will be no more NHS dentistry at all.