Back
Coronavirus: Tooth decay fears over dentist wait until 2021
Jun 2, 2020
Concerns have been raised that routine dentistry such as fillings will not be available to patients until next year.
Lowri Leeke, who runs a practice in Merthyr Tydfil, said that it was "too long", with holes in teeth getting "bigger and worse".
Senior dentists across Wales want plans for allowing practices to offer more than just urgent care to be sped up.
Wales' Chief Dental Officer Dr Colette Bridgman said she was taking a "phased and careful approach".
Dental patients 'could lose teeth' 'Keep dentists from poorer areas' in Wales
Ms Leeke and her colleagues at Deintyddfa Hapus (the Happy Dental Practice) in Troedyrhiw have gone from seeing 30 to 40 patients a day before coronavirus to eight or nine now.
"It's been like this for 11 weeks - we can triage emergencies over the phone but the only treatment we're allowed to provide is extracting teeth, which not everyone wants but unfortunately there's no other option available for us," she said.
Image copyright Lowri Leeke Image caption Lowri Leeke believes patients will have to wait too long for routine help
"It's very strange times, very sad - we miss our patients and it's difficult to adapt to what's going to become the new norm.
"I think routine dentistry - just fillings - won't be available until January which is a long time for both patients and for us."
16Shares
0Comments
0Favorites
3Likes
Say something to impress...
Loading...
Comments
Hot

No content at this moment.

Relevant people
BBC News
134121 Followers
News and more.
Related