A dental practice in Marlow is facing closure amid an 'exodus' of dentists from the NHS.

Total Orthodontics at Dukes Place in Marlow will be one of 85 Bupa Dental Care practices across the UK at risk of closure due to unprecedented challenges facing the industry.

Practices around the country will either be closed, sold or merged with other branches in a move set to affect 1200 employees nationwide.

Bupa Dental Care, which offers both private and NHS healthcare, said the closures were a final resort after struggling to recruit dentists to the NHS.

The news comes amid a national shortage of dentistry staff in the National Health Service and "systematic" challenges across the industry.

According to figures from the British Dental Association (BDA), 45% of dentists report having reduced their NHS commitment since the start of the pandemic, with a further 75% planning to reduce their NHS involvement over the coming year.

READ MORE: Bupa closing 85 dental practices: see the full list

The BDA highlighted the NHS dental contract, which has been in place since 2006, for "putting government targets ahead of patient need".

In a statement released in May 2022, Chair of the BDA's General Dental Practice Committee, Shawn Charlwood, said: "Overstretched and underfunded, thousands of dentists have already left the NHS but many mre have begun severing their ties.

"Without urgent reform and adequate funding, there is little hope we can halt this exodus."

More information about difficulties facing the sector can be found here, on the BDA's website.