ONE in nine people in West Yorkshire do not have a dentist, according to latest statistics.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics' health insight survey show 12 per cent of the 3,959 respondents in the NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board did not have a dentist.

Meanwhile, 59 per cent had an NHS dentist and 28 per cent had a private dentist.

Across England, an estimated 13 per cent of people aged 16 and over in England did not have a dentist.

Responding to the data, the British Dental Association (BDA) stressed the Government must "move at pace to rescue the struggling service"

Eddie Crouch, BDA chair, said: "For new patients NHS dentistry has effectively ceased to exist."

He added: "A new Government has made the right noises, but deeds need to match words."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "It is unacceptable to this Government that so many people are struggling to find an NHS dentist.

"We are committed to rebuilding the sector, but it will take time.

"We will start with an extra 700,000 urgent dentistry appointments to help those who need it most, and we will increase access by reforming the dental contract to make NHS work more appealing to dentists."