A Liberal Democrat MP has raised concerns in Parliament about the "shocking" lack of NHS dentists in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Daisy Cooper, MP for St Albans and the party's health spokesperson, was taking part in a House of Commons debate yesterday on expanding the NHS workforce when she raised concerns about dentistry.

She said only half of children in North Yorkshire managed to see an NHS dentist last year, adding:

Ms Cooper called on a minister to visit the area to speak to patients and dentists to see the situation for themselves.

The issue has long been a cause for concern in Harrogate and Knaresborough. A Stray Ferret investigation carried out in March 2021 found that just two NHS dentists in the Harrogate district were accepting new patients – one in Knaresborough with a waiting time of two-and-a-half years, and one in Boroughbridge with a waiting time of three years.

Two years later, the NHS website currently lists just two practices in the district as accepting new patients, but only those under the age of 17 – one in Ripon and one in Boroughbridge. None are listed for Harrogate.

Tom Gordon, spokesperson and parliamentary candidate for the Liberal Democrats in Harrogate and Knaresborough, said:

The Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, Andrew Jones, was approached for comment by the Stray Ferret, but no response has yet been received.

Read more:

• Lack of NHS dentists ‘severely affecting’ North Yorkshire residents’ health


• Watchdog report: Just one NHS dentist per 10,000 people in Harrogate district


• Harrogate district patients feeling 'catastrophic impact' of dental crisis


• Investigation: 'Shocking' waits for NHS dentists in Harrogate district