ACCESS to dentistry in Cornwall has decreased by more than 23 per cent in the last ten years, new figures have revealed.

New analysis from healthcare provider My Chemist Plus, has found that access to NHS dentists is down significantly over the past ten years, with 22.2-million adults treated in 2016/17; compared to 18.8-million in 2025/26. With the increase in the adult population, the proportion of adults seen by an NHS dentist has fallen from 51.4 per cent to 40 per cent over the past decade – an 11.4 per cent decline.

The data reveals regional disparities, with the South West home to the worst rate of dental access, with only 30.6 per cent of adults having access to an NHS dentist.

The South West has seen the sharpest decline of any region in the analysis. A decade ago, one in two adults (51.7 per cent) in the South West had seen an NHS dentist within two years. Today it is fewer than one in three.

As access continues to decline, search behaviour suggests people are increasingly exploring other ways to get dental help. Searches for “online dentist” and “private dentist” hit an all time high in August 2026. Online healthcare provider My Chemist Plus orders revealed dental orders increased by 23 per cent in 2026.

Hussain Member, Superintendent Pharmacist at My Chemist Plus said: “We are seeing growing demand from patients experiencing dental pain or symptoms who tell us they are struggling to access dental care. For appropriate cases, regulated online healthcare can provide a clinical assessment, advice and guidance on the right next step.

“It is important to stress that online healthcare does not replace dental treatment. Dental infections can require urgent face-to-face treatment, and patients should always be clearly advised when they need to see a dentist, contact NHS 111 or seek emergency care.

“Our aim is to help control infection and reduce the risk of deterioration, including rare but serious complications that can cause permanent damage or threaten life. Patients are clearly told that antibiotics do not replace treatment by a dentist, and receive advice on seeking urgent dental care and recognising symptoms requiring immediate help.

“At the same time, NHS access remains very different depending on where someone lives. Online healthcare is not a replacement for seeing a dentist, but in appropriate cases it can provide another route to clinical advice and help patients understand the right next step.

“It is important that patients know when their symptoms require face-to-face or emergency dental treatment and use regulated healthcare services when seeking advice online.”