You are indeed fortunate in your area Ray as regards NHS dental choice but this is not the case in many parts of the UK as a google search will show. I remember reading of one place where people were queuing 'round the block' to join a new practice that was opening. Here is another example of the situation in another area:- https://healthwatchsouthglos.co.uk/news/nhs-dentists-not-offering-nhs-appointments/
As in most parts of the UK, there is a growing and ageing population in North Devon, yet some of the smaller hospitals have either been closed or services restricted. Even the main hospital at Barnstaple has lost some of it's services and people have to go to Exeter, a round trip of some 100 miles or more for some. Furthermore, it was proposed under the 'Sustainability and Transformation' plan to transfer even more services from North to South Devon, something that seems to have been deferred due to large scale local opposition. These proposals were the very opposite of what is needed which is an expanded North Devon Hospital with a new multi story car park. (It is appreciated that certain highly specialized treatments could be best dealt with at fewer hospitals as at present but the proposal to transfer among other services that dealing with births was quite absurd). Although is does not relate to private dentistry in the same way, it does show how life is being made more difficult for NHS patients.