Six in 10 Brits claim they see their dentist more consistently than their GP, according to research from Denplan.
The findings from the dental plan specialist, which is part of Simplyhealth, come in its annual Oral Healthcare Report which surveyed more than 5,000 consumers in the UK who used both NHS and private dentists.
It showed that a quarter (25%) of Brits that visit the dentist have seen the same dentist for the last 10 years, with two-thirds (66%) of people reporting consistency meant they felt comfortable with their dentist. And 91% of people who attend the dentist at least every two years saying it was important to trust your dentist.
Most (51%) people said their entire family all see the same dentist and six in 10 (60%) said they would not consider changing dental practices because they want to keep their current dentist.
The survey showed three in 10 (28%) have spoken to their dentist about other health problems and 15% of respondents have had dentists refer them to another health practitioner during their appointment.
Of those that were referred, 20% were diagnosed with skin conditions, 15% with iron-deficiency (anaemia), 10% with diabetes and a further 10% with a viral condition (e.g. herpes).
According to the survey, almost a third (32%) of people are worried about the cost of going to a dentist, with over a third (34%) of respondents saying they have previously postponed or cancelled a dentist appointment because they could not afford it.
Those with a private dental payment plan set up said they chose this option because it gave them peace of mind (30%) or helped them to be more proactive about their oral health (26%).
This same group said a payment plan helped spread the cost of their treatments (42%) and budget for dental costs (36%).
Denplan dentist Shamir Chandarana, principal dentist at Dental House, Sunbury-on-Thames said: “As a dentist, you’re privileged to have the chance to truly get to know patients and their families.
“Many of us have supported patients far beyond just their dental needs – whether being able to advise on common health conditions, simply listen to their current concerns, or refer them to another healthcare professional.
“At a time when GP appointments are increasingly difficult to come by, my colleagues and I have definitely noticed an uptick in wider healthcare questions – a role that would have traditionally been played by the family doctor.
“We can help to identify other health conditions, but then need to refer patients on for any symptoms to be managed properly.”
Catherine Rutland, dentist and clinical director at Denplan, said: “Our survey demonstrates the vital role of the dentist in public life, with over a quarter (28%) of adults saying they have asked their dentist about problems other than their oral health and a majority (59%) saying they actually see the same dentist more often than their doctor.
“However, dentists are already stretched and this growing shift of the wider healthcare burden is indicative of the mounting pressure on health services.
“Dental services often play second fiddle to primary healthcare in policy, but they’re servicing the same communities with the same needs and identifying problems. To keep communities healthy, there needs to be a joined-up approach to the way that dentistry is viewed within healthcare and government.
“When considering how best to improve access to dentistry, we must not consider the reform of the NHS contract in isolation. We must also recognise the role of mixed and private practices in communities, and wider initiatives such as making better use of the wider dental team to carry out a range of services.”