A HEALTH watchdog has reported a six-fold increase in enquiries about the availability of dentists in Greater Manchester during the pandemic.

Bosses at Healthwatch say before the Covid outbreak, in 2019-20, they responded to 102 calls regarding NHS dentistry.

But between April 2020 and the end of March 2021 that rate had exploded to 650.

The number of calls alone handled by Healthwatch Bolton, based in Silverwell Street, was 85.

This volume was second only to the much-larger City of Manchester, which had 159 queries over the period.

Healthwatch schemes have been investigating dental provisions in lockdown and produced a report which, while sympathising with pressures placed on surgeries, highlights a perceived need for change.

One respondent in Bolton told researchers: “I’m 70 years old and in I need to register with a dentist but after ringing round all the dentists in Bolton I can’t find one taking new NHS patients.

“I have just paid £1,000 to get my teeth filled etc. but as I’m a pensioner I can’t afford to pay out again for any more treatment.”

In summary, the report says: “Inevitably the pandemic has had an impact with practices initially closed and then seeing fewer patients. However a return to pre-pandemic levels of capacity is not the full solution since there was already insufficient capacity to meet the need for NHS dental care.”

The watchdog has called on the NHS to work with Healthwatch to update their online system for recommending local dentists and pledged to monitor the situation in future.

Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership said it had set up 92 urgent dental centres across the region, early in the pandemic.

Covid had placed additional pressure on a system they say was “already facing significant challenges, not unique to Greater Manchester", added the trust.

In a statement the Local Dental Committees, representing NHS dentists, said the service had reacted quickly to cater for patients who needed urgent treatment.

“We look forward to exploring changes in the way dentistry is commissioned, particularly increasing the emphasis on prevention. However there is a pressing need for more dentistry to be commissioned,” added the committees.