Are you — or someone you know — finding it difficult to see an NHS dentist?

Healthwatch Isle of Wight has launched a new survey to capture people’s experience of dental services.

To limit Covid-19 transmissions, dental practices were instructed to close and stop all routine dental care from March 25. Emergency dental hubs were set up to support patients who required emergency dental care and at the beginning of June, dental practices were encouraged to begin face to face appointments again.

However, people have been reporting that they are struggling to find an NHS dental practice that is taking on new patients.

Healthwatch IW wants to hear about people’s experiences of dental services on the Island, and is conducting a survey.

The results will be analysed and any areas of best practice or areas highlighted as needing improving will be reported to NHS England, the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group, and Public Health IW, as well as individual dental surgeries if identified and where appropriate.

The closing date for the survey is December 31 and it can be accessed online by visiting healthwatchisleofwight.co.uk

For a hard copy, call 01983 608608 or email enquiries@healthwatchisleofwight.co.uk