NHS North West

Access to NHS dentistry in the North West
People in the North West have some of the best access to NHS dental services of any region in the country, even though some dentists decided to leave the NHS following the introduction of the new dental contract in 2006. In fact, access levels are now higher than they were five years ago, just before the new contract came into effect.

Although some areas of the North West still have some problems the situation continues to improve. Last year there was an 11% increase in the dental budget across the North West (need actual figures). This year another 8% (need actual figures) increase will be spent on expanding NHS dental services in areas that particularly need it.

For more information on NHS dental services, how to find a dentist; what to expect when you get there; and the charges that you will have to pay, please see Guide to NHS Dental Services in England

If you are having difficulty finding an NHS dentist, whether for emergency or routine care, please contact your local primary care trust (PCT) via the links below which will take you directly to the relevant page on their website.

Future developments
Since 2005 PCTs have held the budgets for all local NHS dental services and are responsible for ensuring that dental services can meet the needs of local people; this has included commissioning new services to meet shortfalls resulting from dentists leaving the NHS.

By 2011, PCTs must ensure that everyone who wants access to NHS dental care can obtain it.

To find dental services in your own area, please click on the links below.

Ashton, Leigh and Wigan

http://www.alwpct.nhs.uk/Patient%20Services/You%20and%20yours/Dentist.asp

Blackburn with Darwen:

http://www.bwdpct.nhs.uk/patient-services/local-dentists/

Blackpool

http://www.blackpool.nhs.uk/index.php/our-services/dental/

Bolton

http://www.bolton.nhs.uk/your-services/primary-care-services/dentists.asp

Bury

http://www.burypct.nhs.uk/1265.html

Central and Eastern Cheshire

http://www.cecpct.nhs.uk/templates/Page.aspx?id=271

 Central Lancashire

 http://www.centrallancashire.nhs.uk/ngen_public/default.asp?id=137

 Cumbria

http://www.cumbria.nhs.uk/YourNearestServices/Dentist/Home.aspx

 East Lancs

http://www.eastlancspct.nhs.uk/patients/services/dental/

Halton and St Helens

http://www.haltonandsthelenspct.nhs.uk/pages/YourServices.aspx?iPageId=126

Heywood Middleton and Rochdale

http://www.hmr.nhs.uk/yourlocalnhs.aspx?page=56

 Liverpool

http://www.liverpoolpct.nhs.uk/patient/dentist/default.asp
 

Manchester

http://www.manchester.nhs.uk/local/dentists.html

North Lancashire

http://www.northlancshealth.nhs.uk/nlancs_misc.asp?nextPageID=128&catID=4

Oldham

http://www.oldham.nhs.uk/healthserv_/healthserv.htm

Salford

http://www.salford-pct.nhs.uk/

Sefton

http://www.seftonpct.nhs.uk/your_health_services/default.asp

Stockport

http://www.stockport-pct.nhs.uk/DentalService.aspx

Tameside and Glossop

http://www.tamesideandglossop.nhs.uk/templates/Page____408.aspx

Trafford

http://www.traffordpct.nhs.uk/TraffordWebPortal/portal/cn/TraffordNorthPCT/tnHealthServices

Warrington

http://www.warrington-pct.nhs.uk/localnhsservices/localnhsservices.html

Western Cheshire

http://www.wcheshirepct.nhs.uk/default.asp?page=Services/default.asp

Wirral

http://www.nhs.uk/ServiceDirectories/Pages/Trust.aspx?id=5NK