In January this year, 27,000 children were on waiting lists for assessments or procedures at community dental services, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted to the NHS Business Services Authority.
This includes children waiting on care for severe untreated tooth decay, those with physical or learning disabilities and those who need treatment for complex dental problems.
Children in some parts of the country are experiencing average wait times of 18 months just to be assessed, according to a report by The Guardian based on the figures.
Ed Davey, Liberal Democrat leader, said the findings were “disgraceful”.
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