We're proud to join our friends from the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) in Westminster today for the launch of their latest campaign report, lifting the lid on how the access crisis is hitting women the hardest and deepening a uniquely gendered health crisis.
Research from WI members is the first of its kind to highlight that a lack of NHS dental services is having devastating, but also gendered, consequences on society. Women are often the designated primary caregivers for their families and are therefore navigating the dental health service as carers, often sacrificing their own health in order to support their loved ones.
The report warns women also have unique oral health challenges compared to men, with their saliva being more acidic and more prone to dental decay, as well as hormonal changes such as pregnancy and menopause increasing women’s susceptibility to gum disease.
Jeryl Stone, NFWI Chair says, “It's time to reform the broken dental system, but it is also time to recognise this healthcare crisis as a gendered crisis too. We at the Women’s Institute stand united in demanding reform to NHS dental contracts, offering more training spaces for our dentists of the future, and creating a fair and accessible NHS dental healthcare system for every woman and their community. Dental health matters, and so do we.”
BDA Chair, Eddie Crouch, added: "The crisis in NHS dentistry is having a unique impact on women up and down the country. From pregnancy to menopause, as parents and as carers, access problems often hit women hardest.
“This service can have a future, but only if ministers are willing to pick up the pace and keep their promises. Until then, patients — especially women — will continue to pay the price."
The full report can be accessed here.