Thank you so much to The Press for raising the issue of the crisis facing NHS dentistry in York (NO York dental practices taking on new adult NHS patients, July 30).

I raised this issue at the city council last autumn and, as a new member of the Health and Adult Social Care committee, I raised it again at my first meeting in June. I am grateful that the committee agreed to investigate.

The crisis affects us all, young and old.

Without access to even a basic check-up, tens of thousands of us face potential problems up ahead. Children need check-ups as they lose their primary teeth. I understand many people in care homes have had no form of check up since the pandemic started.

Then there’s all of us in the middle.

For some, the dental crisis means we have to find money we can’t really afford to pay for private treatment. For others it means no dental care at all.

I have asked the NHS for statistics on whether there has been an increase in emergency dental admissions to hospital. The Government really has to get a grip on this as this is a major and escalating health problem, in York and across the country.

Cllr Christian Vassie, Blake Court, Wheldrake, York