Around one in four adults say that cost influences their choice of dental treatment, shows a new dental survey published today by The NHS Information Centre.

Latest statistics show that just over a quarter of adults (26 per cent) said that the type of dental treatment they opted to have had been influenced by cost and almost one fifth (19 per cent) said they had delayed treatment for the same reason.

Other barriers to dental treatment included:

• Extreme dental anxiety - estimated to be experienced by 12 per cent of dentate9 adults
• Past experience – 20 per cent of adults were less than satisfied in one way or another with their last visit to the dentist.

Cost, location, recommendations from family and friends and quality of care were the most frequently mentioned reasons for using NHS dental care with affordability being cited by 63 per cent, and location by 23 per cent.

These latest findings are among those found in the full release of the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009 summary report and thematic series which provides information on the dental health of adults, exploring areas such as oral health and function, complexity of dental treatment and access and barriers to dental care. In addition, three country-specific reports are published alongside the full report for each of the participating countries.

The survey, which has taken place every decade since 1968, was commissioned by The NHS IC and carried out by a consortium managed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on behalf of the Department of Health in England, the Welsh Assembly Health Department and the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) in Northern Ireland.

Other findings show:

• Just under three-fifths (58 per cent) of adults said that they had tried to make an NHS dental appointment in the previous three years. Of these adults, 92 per cent successfully received and attended an appointment.
• Seventy-five per cent of adults said that they cleaned their teeth at least twice a day and a further 23 per cent of adults said that they cleaned their teeth once a day. Only 2 per cent of adults said that they cleaned their teeth less than once a day and 1 per cent said that they never cleaned their teeth.
• The mean number of teeth amongst dentate adults was 25.7, with the majority of dentate adults (60 per cent) having between 27 and 32 teeth. Dentate adults had an average of 17.9 sound and untreated teeth but this varied hugely with age.
• In 2009, nearly one in five adults wore removable dentures of some description (partial or complete).

Tim Straughan, Chief Executive of The NHS Information Centre said: ‘These findings raise some interesting questions about the influence of treatment costs on the choices people make about their dental health. It also explores the accessibility of NHS dental services.

‘This latest report provides a more detailed picture of the dental health of the population, focussing on patterns and determinants of dental health, disease and service use which will be of particular interest to policy makers and regional health planners.'

Today's report is available at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalsurveyfullreport09

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care (The NHS IC) is England's authoritative, central, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researcher, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS IC also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.

2. The 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey (ADHS) is the fifth in a series of national dental surveys that have been carried out each decade since 1968. The main purpose of the survey is to establish the condition of the natural teeth and supporting tissues; to investigate dental experience, knowledge about and attitudes towards dental care and hygiene; to examine changes over time in dental health, attitudes and behaviour and to monitor the extent to which dental hygiene targets set by the government are being met. The 1998 survey is available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/ssd/surveys/adult_dental_health_survey.asp

The 2009 survey publication includes reports on oral health and function, disease and related disorders, urgent conditions, complexity and maintenance, preventive behaviour and risks to oral health, service considerations, outcome and impact and access and barriers to care.

In addition, summary reports are available for each of the three participating countries and trends are provided for key figures where possible.

3. Northern Ireland did not participate in the 1978 ADHS; however a similar survey was conducted in Northern Ireland in 1979. Estimates from the latter have been included in trend tables within the publication.

4. Scotland decided not to participate in the 2009 ADHS, although it has taken part in previous ADHS surveys. Comparative estimates for some oral health indicators for Scotland are available from the Scottish Health Survey at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2010/09/23154223/24.

5. The sample size for the survey was 13,400 households (1,150 in each English Strategic Health Authority and Wales, and 750 households in Northern Ireland). Data collection for the survey took place between October 2009 and April 2010, and the final household interview response rate was 60 per cent.

6. A total of 11,380 individuals were interviewed, and 6,469 dentate adults were examined by dentists, making this the largest ever epidemiological survey of adult dental health in the United Kingdom.

7. Dental anxiety is measured using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Adults are asked to rate the level of anxiety they would feel if they were in particular situations – from sitting in a waiting room and going for a scale and polish to having injections or a tooth drilled. The responses are used to calculate an anxiety score.

8. Adults who reported that their last completed course of dental treatment was provided under NHS arrangements were asked why they had decided to use NHS services. Respondents could give more than one reason.

9. “Dentate” means having at least one natural tooth.

10. In the ADHS, “adults” refers to persons aged 16 and over.

11. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or contact mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk