Only a handful of Havering dentists are taking on NHS patients, but the number is feared to be far lower.

The vast majority of dentists in or around Havering are not taking new patients or have no recent update on if they are doing so, according to the NHS's website.

Only Church View and Hall Lane dental practices in Upminster; and Rush Green Dental Practice, Dental Beauty Romford and Rose Lane Dental Surgery in Romford said they are accepting new NHS patients of all categories. 

These dentists said they are accepting adults 18 and over, adults entitled to free dental care and children aged 17 or under online.

But Ian Buckmaster, director of Healthwatch Havering, believes there are only “two or three” accepting NHS patients and those practices are oversubscribed.

Mr Buckmaster added that people seeking free dental care will face problems.

“It is extremely difficult to get a spot,” he said. “Basically, if people have a dentist problem like a raging toothache where can they go?”

The problem goes back years, Mr Buckmaster believes, and he claimed that dentists have been given no incentive to offer free services.

“There are in what they do for a living and if they are not getting a sufficient provision for what they do, they are going to get their money where they can,” he said.

Mr Buckmaster advised people with emergency needs to either call 111 or look online, but admitted options were limited.

“It is not a very satisfactory system if people are not prepared to go private,” he said.

“We do not control it [the system] in any way, shape or form.”

A spokesperson for NHS North East London said it is "committed"  to ensuring Havering residents "can access high quality dental care".

They added: "We acknowledge that some people have found it difficult to access dental care and we are currently considering a number of approaches to improve access for patients in the borough and more widely across north east London.

"Urgent dental care is available for anyone who needs it, and people should continue to use the NHS 111 service for advice on where to go."