The scale of the Isle of Wight's dental misery was highlighted, as Healthwatch Isle of Wight met with MPs in Parliament earlier this week.

Joanna Smith, manager of the Island health watchdog, gave evidence at a roundtable on Wednesday, June 7.

It formed part of a government inquiry into NHS dentistry.

She shared patient evidence with MP Steve Brine, chair of the Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee, and three other MP members.

Healthwatch Isle of Wight highlighted issues about lack of access to NHS dentistry on the Island, and the extra costs to patients in travelling to the mainland to get treatment.

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They requested changes to the dentistry contract to make it easier for dentists to provide NHS care.

They also stressed the urgent need for NHS dental care to be made available to everyone, not just those who can afford to pay privately.

Joanna Smith said: "The government roundtable was a great opportunity for us to highlight the significant problems that Island residents have in accessing NHS dentistry and to request that the government takes swift action.

"We are very grateful to all those people who have contacted us to share their experiences, which has given us the evidence to highlight these serious issues both locally and nationally.”

Views shared in the roundtable will be included in the final inquiry report of the committee, with recommendations for government.

The report should be published in around a month.