Deborah Erskine said:
“The growing exodus of NHS dentists to private practice is creating a crisis in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, leaving families struggling to access affordable dental care. With practices switching to private models, access to NHS dentistry is rapidly declining, deepening health inequalities and placing a financial burden on already hard-pressed households.
Figures show that Fermanagh and Omagh have the lowest adult registration rates for NHS dental services at just 49% - 17 points below the Northern Ireland average. Meanwhile, only 53% of the local population lives within three miles of a dental practice, compared to 88% in urban areas. In rural communities with limited public transport, this crisis is even more pronounced.
Dentists aren’t striking - they’re leaving. Rising operating costs, outdated NHS contracts, and a lack of financial support are pushing them out. Other jurisdictions, such as Scotland, have taken steps to address this issue.
I am calling on the Minister to urgently increase NHS dental funding, reinstate commitment payments for NHS dentists, and ensure fair reimbursement rates. Without immediate intervention, more dentists will leave, worsening the crisis. It’s disappointing and frustrating that on an issues like this in which a rural constituency is getting left behind, the Minister chose to grandstand on MLAs who voted for the budget. Yet his own Party agreed to the budget for 2025/2026.
The Department cannot ignore this any longer - access to dental care should not be a luxury. We must act now to save NHS dentistry and prevent further health inequalities. The people of Fermanagh and South Tyrone deserve better.”