Brits Turn Dentist as Natioinal Health System Cuts Back
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Thousands of dental patients in the U.K. have resorted to repairing their own teeth to avoid the cost of seeing a dentist, according to a new study.
Of 5,200 patients interviewed in a study by the Dentistry Watch Survey, 19 percent admitted they had skipped getting dental work due to the cost and 6 percent resorted to amending the problem on their own because they could not locate a dentist.
One patient from Lancashire said he had used a pair of pliers to extract 14 teeth. Others have used glue to fix broken crowns.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Health care in the U.K., including visits to a dentist, are supposed to be provided for free by the National Health Service. But in many cases, long waits for the free treatment force people to either see a private doctor or take other measures.
Go to SkyNews for the complete article
Free dental treatment for everyone in the U.K. is a myth, Health Minister Ben Bradshaw told Sky News.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bradshaw said people in urgent need should always be able to get National Health Service care, but it would only be free for children, pregnant women, and people receiving benefits.