Dentists are turning to debt collectors to chase patients as rising post-Covid defaults sink their teeth into profits

Dentists are turning to debt collectors to chase patients as a post-Covid surge in non-payments is sinking their teeth into profits, it has been reported.

A dentist in Purley said some patients just walk out the door without paying, with the government’s introduction of a rent relief scheme suggesting some feel they shouldn’t have to pay for anything.

Now a debt collection agency has warned that defaulters pose a threat to the industry and claims defaults have risen by 20 to 25 per cent compared to a few years ago.

Desperate dentists are calling in bailiffs to try to recover the money, with Harley Street practices among hundreds of Frontline Collections customers, The Express reported.

Operations manager Chris Spencer said they had racked up millions of pounds in unpaid fees.

Debt collection company Frontline Collectors says patients not paying for treatment is a threat to the industry and it has Harley Street practices among its hundreds of clients.

“We intend to go after patients who have money but clearly don’t want to pay,” he said. They will say, “Do whatever you want, I have a lawyer.” We get that pompous nonsense every day.’

Mr Spencer says they don’t go after people living in ‘poorer areas’ as they really can’t afford it.

Some patients claim to take the money from their car and then kidnap, he said, while others blackmail dentists by threatening to ‘expose’ them on social media.

He said: “The mentality seems to be – I’ve been through a lot of pain and I still have to pay? Or they find some bogus reason why they shouldn’t pay for the treatment.’

Figures from NHS England last month showed that less than half of adults in England have visited a dentist within the last two years.

Just 43 per cent of over-18s were seen by a dentist in the 24 months to June this year, compared with more than half in the same period before the pandemic hit.

This means 3.8 million fewer adults have had their teeth checked by the health service compared to pre-Covid levels.

NHS dental services for children have also suffered, with only 56 per cent seeing a dentist in the past year, 700,000 fewer than before the pandemic.

Experts warned that difficulties accessing NHS dentists could lead to people forgoing vital treatment or turning to DIY dentistry – risking more expensive care down the line.

As last month the Mail on Sunday revealed a record number of patients in pain due to problems with their teeth are flooding the NHS emergency helpline because they cannot find a dentist.

Each month, 85,000 desperate patients call 111 with dental emergencies, compared to 60,000 in 2018 – a 42 percent increase.

NHS 111 staff say they are regularly contacted by patients with toothaches, which means helpline doctors are taking longer to reach patients with life-threatening symptoms such as chest pain.

Figures from NHS England last month showed that less than half of adults in England have visited a dentist within the last two years

The number of NHS dentists has fallen to 23,000 – the lowest in a decade. Nine out of ten NHS dental practices do not accept new adult NHS patients, leaving one in five Britons without a dentist.

The British Dental Association said many dentists no longer wanted to work in the NHS because they were only paid for a limited number of NHS treatments each year.

The government wants to train thousands more within ten years, but Dr Nigel Carter, of the Oral Health Foundation, said: “There is a chance that NHS dentists will not exist by 2030 – the system is so broken.”

Dr Nisa Aslam, a 111 GP, said: “We regularly hear from patients with toothaches so bad they are desperate. These patients are probably in more pain than any patient I speak to because the toothache is so intensive. I can do little – I am not allowed to offer dental advice.

“This means 111 doctors spend a significant amount of time answering calls from patients they cannot treat.”

NHS England did not respond to a request for comment.