This year we are focusing on the current WI campaign of Dental Health Matters

The Dental Health Matters campaign was voted for by members at the WI Annual Meeting on 5^th June. Our members are concerned about the shortage of NHS dentists, dentist surgeries, and new patient spaces. This shortage, combined with the cost of living crisis, has led to the rise of ‘DIY Dentistry’ where people are suffering to the point of extracting their own teeth. More than 1 in 4 adults in England were unable to access NHS dental care in 2023. Nine out of ten dental practices are no longer accepting new NHS adult patients. Tooth decay is the number one reason children are admitted to hospitals. The WI wants to change this.

Our members are therefore calling for the Government to take action by reviewing the NHS contracts and providing more places for people to train as dentists.

The Labour Party won the General Election in July with a manifesto pledging to will tackle the dental health crisis. The new government pledged to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments, recruit new dentists to areas that need them most, reform the dental contract, focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists, and introduce a supervised tooth-brushing scheme for 3- to 5-year-olds, targeting the areas of highest need.

Under the Dental Health Matters campaign, we will be holding the government to account, pushing the reform of dental contracts, and engaging with them on their plans to retain NHS dentists.

Latest Updates

We’ve teamed up with the British Dental Association, 38 Degrees, and the Mirror to call on the Prime Minister to save NHS dentistry. We are gathering 250,000 signatures for our petition before we take it to Number 10 in early 2025. You can read and sign the petition here. We hope to help the BDA acquire 250,000 signatures before they take the petition to parliament in early 2025.

Why is Dental Health a Feminist Issue?

Biologically, women have unique oral health challenges, leading to women having poorer oral health in comparison to men over their lifetime. Women’s saliva tends to be more acidic than men’s, increasing the rate of dental decay in their mouths. Changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can also raise the risk of problems in women’s mouths, teeth, or gums.

In a patriarchal system, women are disproportionately responsible for the care load of their household, including being responsible for the cooking, cleaning, and childcare. Women are therefore often responsible for the health of both younger and older family relatives, including their oral health.  With NHS dental appointments becoming harder to obtain, women are bearing financial, temporal, physical, and mental health burdens for not only themselves but also their loved ones.

History of the WI fighting for better dental health

The WI has a long history of campaigning for the government to look at dental health as a priority for the lives of citizens across the UK:

Dental Health, 1926: Noticing the poor oral health of children, the NFWI held meetings with speakers from the Dental Board to discuss the subject of dental health. Rothley WI – Northumberland Federation

Dental Health, 1930: The WI called for dental treatment to be available for all insured young persons. Somerset Federation

Dental Health, 1960: The WI called for widespread instruction on preventing tooth decay, stressing the importance of diet in regard oral health. Much Hadham Evening WI – Hertfordshire Federation

NHS Dentistry, 1996: The WI urged Her Majesty’s Government to recognise the increasing lack of NHS dentists and ensure NHS dental treatment is available and readily accessible to all. Kings Sutton WI – Northamptonshire Federation 1996

Dental Health Matters, 2024: There is a chronic shortage of NHS Dentists and people are suffering health issues as a result. The NFWI calls on the Government to increase investment in the training and retention of dentists and to review the current inadequate NHS contracts in order to ensure everyone can access an NHS dentist wherever they live. Staveley WI, Cumbria-Westmorland Federation June 2024

Please get involved with the campaign:

1. Write to your MP

Over half of the MPs elected in July are new to office, so there is an opportunity to have new conversations with Parliamentarians about the dental health crisis.

Find a template letter here.

2. Sign the petition calling on the Prime Minister to save NHS dentistry, organised by the WI, the British Dental Association, 38 Degrees, and the Mirror.

The petition is due to be presented to No.10 in early 2025, and we hope to reach 250,000 signatures by then. Please make your voice heard here: Save NHS dentistry and make it fit for the 21st century | 38 Degrees

3. Share your story with the NFWI

The Public Affairs team is keen to hear your personal stories regarding your own dental health experiences, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Please email pa@nfwi.org.uk to get in touch and share your experiences.

4. Fill in our survey

We are calling on WI members and dental health professionals to reflect on their experiences of dental healthcare in the UK. Fill in our survey here.

If you a dental health professional? Fill in our survey regarding your unique experiences here.

We thank you for getting involved and supporting this campaign.