COVID-19 and dentistry – survey of the UK public 2021

Demand for dental services. By October 2021, just under half of patients had been back to a dental practice since lockdown restrictions were eased. However, half had not done so yet, meaning that they had not seen a dental professional at all for 18 months or more.  

Access to dental services. While most people who wanted an appointment had been able to secure one, just over a fifth (22%) had not been able to make an appointment at some point since August 2020, and just under a fifth (17%) had had appointments postponed or cancelled. The research also highlighted an issue with inequalities, with a higher proportion of younger people and people from Asian and Black ethnic backgrounds reporting difficulties in accessing services.  

Safety and confidence. Public perceptions of safety and confidence in dental care are similar to pre-pandemic levels. However, a quarter of the public remain hesitant about visiting dental services for a check-up due to lingering concerns about COVID-19. This was particularly evident among people from Asian backgrounds who remain more hesitant about visiting services while COVID-19 remains.