GeraClinic / NHS Dentistry Access Index / By region / South West
NHS dental access in South West
The Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South West is 37.1 / 100 for June 2023 — 37.1% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 62.9% had no NHS dental contact.
What is NHS dental access like in South West?
For June 2023, the Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South West is 37.1 / 100 — 37.1% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 62.9% had no NHS dental contact. That is 3.6 percentage points below the England average. Within the region, access ranges from 30.6% in Gloucestershire to 40.7% in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
South West ranks 6 of 7 NHS regions for adult NHS dental access, 3.6 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
37.1 / 100
below-average NHS dental access
Adults seen (24 mo)
37.1%
of adult population
Access gap
62.9%
no NHS dental contact
Region rank
6 / 7
7 ICBs
NHS dental access by ICB in South West
The index for each of South West’s 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire | 40.7 / 100 | 40.7% | 59.3% |
| Dorset | 38.8 / 100 | 38.8% | 61.2% |
| Somerset | 38.4 / 100 | 38.4% | 61.6% |
| Devon | 37.6 / 100 | 37.6% | 62.4% |
| Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | 36.5 / 100 | 36.5% | 63.5% |
| Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire | 35.1 / 100 | 35.1% | 64.9% |
| Gloucestershire | 30.6 / 100 | 30.6% | 69.4% |
NHS dental access in South West: FAQs
- How good is NHS dental access in South West?
- For June 2023, the Gera NHS Dentistry Access Index for South West is 37.1 / 100 — 37.1% of adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the previous 24 months, so 62.9% 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 7 Integrated Care Boards, population-weighted.
- Which part of South West has the worst NHS dental access?
- Of the 7 Integrated Care Boards in South West, Gloucestershire has the lowest adult NHS dental access at 30.6% (index 30.6 / 100), while Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire has the highest at 40.7% (index 40.7 / 100).
- How is the region score calculated?
- It is the real adult 24-month NHS dental access rate for each ICB in South West, 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 West?
With 62.9% of adults in South West 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 West’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).