More than 3,700 local residents waiting for a dentist appointment

More than 3,700 people in Powys are currently waiting for access to an NHS dentist, according to new figures released by the Welsh Liberal Democrats, who say the situation shows growing pressure on dental services across rural Wales.

The party has criticised the Welsh Government after data obtained through information requests indicated that 51,843 people are on NHS dental waiting lists across Wales, including 5,413 children. The total is higher than the population of Wrexham, a comparison the party says underlines the scale of the problem.

In Powys, the figures show 3,734 people waiting for NHS dental access, including 10 children. North Powys residents are largely served through arrangements linked to Powys Teaching Health Board and, in some cases, neighbouring health boards such as Betsi Cadwaladr and Hywel Dda, depending on location and practice catchment.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn, Cllr Glyn Preston, said the numbers point to what he described as a long running access crisis in NHS dentistry.

He said: “Here in Mid Wales, thousands of people are stuck waiting for basic dental care, with parents unable to find NHS places for their children and many residents being pushed into expensive private treatment or left in pain.

“After 25 years in charge, Welsh Labour has no excuses. We urgently need a dental contract that works for dentists and patients, proper investment in community dental services, and a government that treats oral health as an essential part of healthcare, not an afterthought.”

The party is calling for higher dental funding, binding reduction targets for waiting lists, and rule changes to allow dental therapists and nurses to carry out more treatments to ease pressure on dentists.

Across Wales, the largest waiting lists are reported in Cardiff and Vale and Hywel Dda health board areas, with more than 13,000 and 12,000 people respectively waiting for NHS dental access. Betsi Cadwaladr, which covers North Wales, reports just under 8,000 people on its list, including more than 1,100 children.

Access to NHS dentistry has been a recurring concern in north Powys for several years, with residents in towns and rural communities often reporting difficulty finding practices taking on new NHS patients. Local patients have frequently had to travel to Shropshire or further into North Wales, or join private schemes, when NHS places are unavailable.

Dentists and professional bodies have previously warned that contract arrangements, recruitment challenges, and the rural nature of areas such as Montgomeryshire make it harder to maintain NHS capacity. Some practices have reduced their NHS commitments in recent years, citing funding and workload pressures.

The Welsh Government has said in earlier statements on dentistry that it is reforming the NHS dental contract and investing in new models designed to focus more on prevention and access, though opposition parties argue progress has been too slow for patients trying to register.

Health boards say urgent and emergency dental care remains available, even for people not registered with a practice, but routine access continues to vary by area.

The latest figures are likely to add to political pressure ahead of the next Senedd election, with rural access to healthcare services, including dentistry, expected to be a key issue in north Powys.