Fewer patients have been seen by NHS dentists following the introduction of the new contract, according to figures released by the NHS Information Centre.

The statistics, published last month, show that in the 24 months leading up to September 2007 a total of 27.6 million patients in England were seen by an NHS dentist – equivalent to 54.4 per cent of the population. This is 500,000 fewer patients than were seen in the 24 months leading up to the end of the old dental contract on March 31 2006, when 28.1 million patients were seen, equivalent to 55.8 per cent of the population.

There are wide variations in the percentage of adults seen by NHS dentists in different strategic health authorities (SHAs), ranging from 39.6 per cent in South Central SHA to 59 per cent in North East SHA. In four of the 10 strategic health authority areas under half of the adult population have seen an NHS dentist in the last 18 months.

In the 24 months to the end of September 2007, 7.7 million children were seen by NHS dentists in England – equivalent to 70.3 per cent of the under-18 population.