It comes as unions have warned that NHS dentistry is ‘hanging by a thread’, with some patients facing two-year waits for routine check-ups.

The Warrington Guardian asked readers on Facebook whether they had experienced issues in booking appointments to see their dentist.

We received more than 150 comments, with readers quick to share their woes in even being able to register with a dental practice in the town.

One reader said: “I cannot even get an NHS dentist. I ring up and they are all taking on private patients but not NHS patients.

“I am now looking at having to pay out thousands for private dental care.”

Another said that they ‘cannot get registered anywhere’, with surgeries not taking on any new NHS patients, while a further commenter stating that they are having problems seeing a dentist, despite having had a broken tooth for almost a year.

One possible problem raised in some areas is a number of dentists leaving the sector, however this is far less of a problem in Warrington compared to other places, with dentist numbers in the town remaining consistent over the past five years.

Warrington patients report dentist struggles as unions warn sector ‘hanging by a thread’

In 2017, 139 dentists were registered in the NHS Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group area compared to 134 in 2021 – a fall of just five per cent in five years.

Other areas of England experienced much higher turnover in dentists such as NHS Portsmouth CCG, which has lost 30 dentists over the past five years, or 26 per cent.

Data from England and Wales shows more than 2,500 dental posts were lost across both countries – made up of more than 1,000 dentists, some of whom worked in multiple areas.

At least one town in England has been unable to attract a single applicant for vacant NHS dentist posts for two years.

Shawn Charlwood, from the British Dental Association, said: “NHS dentistry is hanging by a thread, because without NHS dentists there will be no NHS dentistry.

“It is a really serious situation, and every dentist that is lost or every vacancy for NHS dentistry that remains unfilled affects thousands of patients in terms of care and their ability to access care.

“Years of failed contracts and underfunding have meant a growing number of dentists no longer see the NHS as a place to build a career.

“The pandemic has upped the ante, and we are now facing down an exodus.”

Warrington patients report dentist struggles as unions warn sector ‘hanging by a thread’

Concern has also been raised about the usefulness of NHS England’s ‘Find a Dentist’ tool, which was created to help patients find an NHS dentist in their area.

Analysis shows around 75 per cent of practices in England had not updated the site to show whether they were accepting NHS patients or not within the last three months.

Interim director of Healthwatch Chris McCann said getting up to date information as to where people can access service is a ‘real issue’.

To find the cause of problems accessing dentists in the town, the Warrington Guardian contacted NHS Warrington CCG, who referred us to NHS England and NHS Improvement North West.

We were then given a statement by a national NHS spokesman who said: “The NHS has taken unprecedented action to support NHS dentists throughout the pandemic by providing additional funding for practices unable to deliver their usual levels of activity, alongside rapidly setting up 600 urgent dental centres across England so patient services could be maintained during the pandemic.

“People should continue to come forward for the dental care they need, and the care and treatment of people who need it most should be prioritised.”

The spokesman added that anyone who is in dental pain or in need of support, help or advice can telephone their own dental practice in the usual way.

If you do not have a usual dentist and have an urgent need, the spokesman says, you can contact the dental helpline on 0161 476 9651.