October 15, 2007
U.K. Watch: The Perils Of National Health Care
A survey of British dental patients has found that some are resorting to pulling out their own teeth as the number of dentists participating in the National Health Service drops, AFP reports.
Nearly half of dentists surveyed said they had stopped treating NHS patients. As a result, nearly 80 percent of Britons on private insurance said they were pushed there because they couldn't find an NHS dentist. Only 15 percent of those privately insured said their choice was based on quality of treatment.
"When you've got a severe toothache, you don't want to wait two or three weeks -- you need treatment straightaway," DIY patient Don Wilson told BBC News.
"It is a very foolish thing to do," scolded Liz Kay, dean of the Peninsula Dental School in Plymouth. BBC News has a report on the "pros and cons" of at-home dentistry.
