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08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Dental practice distribution: challenging assumptions about deprivation and access
1University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. hugh.devlin@bristol.ac.uk.
British Dental Journal
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Area-level deprivation does not predict the distribution of National Health Service (NHS) dental practices. Dental practice density varied non-linearly across deprivation levels, indicating other factors influence provision.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Services Research
- Socioeconomic Determinants of Health
Background:
- Understanding the spatial distribution of National Health Service (NHS) dental practices is crucial for equitable healthcare access.
- Area-level deprivation is often considered a key factor influencing the distribution of health services.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether area-level deprivation predicts the population-adjusted distribution of NHS dental practices.
- To analyze the relationship between socioeconomic deprivation and dental practice density in a diverse English local authority.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of dental practice density (practices per 10,000 residents) across Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) deciles.
- Deciles ranged from 1 (most deprived) to 10 (least deprived).
Main Results:
- A non-linear relationship was observed between deprivation and dental practice density.
- Deprivation did not significantly predict dental practice distribution after population adjustment.
- The least deprived areas (decile 10) had the lowest NHS dental practice density, while upper-middle deciles showed the highest provision.
Conclusions:
- NHS dental practice density distribution is not solely explained by area-level deprivation.
- Commissioning strategies should integrate multiple factors beyond deprivation indices to ensure equitable dental provision.
- Areas with high populations and low NHS dental provision may require targeted policy interventions.
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