One in 10 people in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire do not have a dentist, new figures suggest.

The British Dental Association said NHS Dentistry has "ceased to exist" for new patients as it called for the Government to "rescue" the service.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics’ health insight survey show 10 per cent of the 2,995 respondents in the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board did not have a dentist.

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Across England, an estimated 13 per cent of people aged 16 and over in England did not have a dentist.

Eddie Crouch, British Dental Association chair, said: "For new patients NHS dentistry has effectively ceased to exist.

"Millions are struggling to access needed care, and those with the highest needs and lowest incomes are the hardest hit."

He added: "A new Government has made the right noises, but deeds need to match words."

Across the South East, 79 per cent of a group surveyed of 94 people without a dentist were unsuccessful in getting an NHS appointment within a month. 

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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "It is unacceptable to this Government that so many people are struggling to find an NHS dentist. We are committed to rebuilding the sector, but it will take time.

“We will start with an extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help those who need it most, and we will increase access by reforming the dental contract to make NHS work more appealing to dentists."

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