GeraClinic / NHS Dentistry Access Index / By region / South East
NHS dental access in South East
The Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South East is 36 / 100 for June 2023 — 36.0% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 64.0% had no NHS dental contact.
What is NHS dental access like in South East?
For June 2023, the Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South East is 36 / 100 — 36.0% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 64.0% had no NHS dental contact. That is 4.7 percentage points below the England average. Within the region, access ranges from 32.5% in Surrey Heartlands to 40.2% in Frimley.
South East ranks 7 of 7 NHS regions for adult NHS dental access, 4.7 percentage points below the England average of 40.7 / 100. Every figure is the real per-ICB access rate, population-weighted — see the methodology.
Index
36 / 100
a dental desert
Adults seen (24 mo)
36.0%
of adult population
Access gap
64.0%
no NHS dental contact
Region rank
7 / 7
6 ICBs
NHS dental access by ICB in South East
The index for each of South East’s 6 Integrated Care Boards, best access first. Click any area for its full ICB detail. Every figure is the real NHS access rate.
| NHS area (ICB) | Dentistry Access Index | Adults seen (24 mo) | Access gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frimley | 40.2 / 100 | 40.2% | 59.8% |
| Sussex | 37.9 / 100 | 37.9% | 62.1% |
| Hampshire and Isle of Wight | 36.3 / 100 | 36.3% | 63.7% |
| Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West | 36.2 / 100 | 36.2% | 63.8% |
| Kent and Medway | 34.1 / 100 | 34.1% | 65.9% |
| Surrey Heartlands | 32.5 / 100 | 32.5% | 67.5% |
NHS dental access in South East: FAQs
- How good is NHS dental access in South East?
- For June 2023, the Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South East is 36 / 100 — 36.0% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 64.0% had no NHS dental contact. That is below the England national score of 40.7 / 100. The region score is the real per-ICB rate across 6 Integrated Care Boards, population-weighted.
- Which part of South East has the worst NHS dental access?
- Of the 6 Integrated Care Boards in South East, Surrey Heartlands has the lowest adult NHS dental access at 32.5% (index 32.5 / 100), while Frimley has the highest at 40.2% (index 40.2 / 100).
- How is the region score calculated?
- It is the real adult 24-month NHS dental access rate for each ICB in South East, population-weighted: region rate = Σ(adult population × access rate) ÷ Σ(adult population). The score is that rate on a 0–100 scale (100 = universal access). Full method on the methodology page.
Struggling to find an NHS dentist in South East?
With 64.0% of adults in South East without recent NHS dental contact, some people use a private online consultation for urgent dental advice while they search for an NHS place. GeraClinic connects you with a UK-registered clinician by video — it is a private service and not affiliated with the NHS. For severe pain, facial swelling or bleeding that will not stop, contact NHS 111 or your dentist now; in an emergency call 999.
Source
South East’s score is population-weighted from the real per-ICB adult access rates in NHS Dental Statistics for England — every figure traces back to the release below. The index and its aggregation are the Gera contribution and are fully specified on the methodology page. Published 3 July 2026.
Contains public sector information published by NHS Digital / NHS England and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS Dental Statistics for England 2022-23 — Table 3e (Geographical Breakdown) (June 2023, published 24 August 2023).
Contains public sector information published by Gera Systems and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (source data). Source: Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index — derived from NHS Dental Statistics for England open data (June 2023, published 3 July 2026).