Liz Jarvis MP demands government action over access to dental care

Liz Jarvis, Liberal Democrat MP for Eastleigh, has called on health secretary Yvette Cooper to guarantee improved dental provision in Eastleigh, including urgent care access for all and routine check-ups for children.

Ms Jarvis has tabled an amendment to the Health Bill which would require the government to meet these targets within 12 months of the act becoming law.

If unmet, Ms Cooper would be required to attend a public meeting in Eastleigh to explain the failure.

Ms Jarvis said: "The lack of access to NHS dental care in Eastleigh is shocking, according to the NHS website, there are just 3 dentists currently accepting new adult patients in Eastleigh”

Recent figures reveal 161,748 children in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight went without a dental appointment in the two years to June 2025.

She described current dental provision as “painfully inadequate.”