Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info It’s still just as difficult to register at an NHS dentist in Cornwall as it was six months ago, despite Labour's promise to “rebuild” NHS dentistry. Updated analysis of the 62 practices in Cornwall on the NHS’s “Find a dentist” website has revealed 55, or 89 per cent, are still not accepting adults aged 18 or over. In two constituencies - South East Cornwall and North Cornwall - not a single NHS dentist is accepting new adult patients. The situation remains exactly the same as in November, when we last crunched the numbers. And it’s not just adults who are affected - 85 per cent of NHS dentists in Cornwall are still not accepting children aged 17 or under. In reality, many of those that say they are accepting patients “when availability allows” may not be, or may have years-long waiting lists. Those who cannot get NHS appointments are largely reliant on expensive private care, with rural and coastal areas some of the worst affected. See which dentists are accepting NHS patients in your area using our interactive map: It’s not just adults who are affected - 62 per cent of NHS dentists on the site are not accepting children aged 17 or under, a figure which again hasn’t improved since November. Overall, 43 constituencies don’t have a single practice accepting new child patients. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that a staggering 88 per cent of people without a dentist who tried to secure NHS dental care in the last month were unsuccessful. Of those, 20 per cent resorted to private dentistry, while a concerning 70 per cent did nothing - with the BDA warning of increased burdens on the health service if early signs of disease go unchecked. Among those who attempted to access NHS dentistry but didn't have a dentist, 27 per cent reported having an urgent need for dental care, with 22 per cent stating they were in pain. The Labour Party went into the 2024 election promising to reform the NHS contract fuelling the current crisis, to deliver 700,000 new urgent dental appointments and to roll out tried and tested preventive programmes in schools. There has been little material progress on these pledges to date, although from this month, integrated care boards - the NHS bodies that commission health services for regions in England - will be expected to purchase the 700,000 additional urgent care appointments, to be delivered by the end of April 2026.