The idea that Welsh dentistry is an example for England is “ludicrous”, a spokesman for the industry said.
Labor politicians said Wales had created 400,000 appointments in the past two years.
But the British Dental Association (BDA) said it failed to take into account the needs of individual patients, with one saying he had suffered from dental pain for years.
Health Secretary Jeremy Miles said ministers were working with the BDA to reform dental contracts to “focus more on patient needs”.
Matty Parry from Old Colwyn, Co Conwy, said he had been bounced from one dentist to another while suffering from tooth pain for five years.
He’s still trying to sign up for treatment, but a dentist told him it could mean another two and a half years of waiting.
“It’s a waste,” he said.
“It’s horrible how people can’t find a dentist.
“They probably need to do more classes, they need to promote it more, educate people.”
He said the payment for the treatment was “unrealistic”.
“I know people who have spent thousands of pounds on treatment, when should it really be that much?”
Last month, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Labor Conference that “the UK Government will take inspiration from Wales for dentistry, where reforms have already unlocked almost 400,000 appointments over the past two years”.
However, the latest figures available from the Welsh and UK governments show how levels of dental treatment have recovered post-Covid.
England completed 85% of the average number of pre-Covid treatment courses, but in Wales this figure was much lower at 58%.
Dr Russell Gidney, who runs a dental practice in Chepstow, Monmouthshire, and is a leading member of the BDA, said colleagues were leaving their NHS contracts because of the targets they had set and the financial setbacks they faced if they did not treat several patients.
He said it meant meeting targets was more important than getting people the treatment they needed.
“The Welsh dental service is struggling to cope,” he said.
“There are patient numbers but, because practices are driven towards patient numbers – although that statistic looks good – in reality, what they are able to offer most patients suffers.
“It really glosses over the problems that are going on underneath.”
On Wales being held up as an example for England, Dr Gidney said: “Basically, I find it funny.
“We have seen more clawbacks put into practice since Covid.
“We are seeing more practices returning their contracts each year than we saw in many years pre-Covid.
“Dentists are not happy because they cannot take care of their patients.
“They can’t make the business work the way they want, and essentially, where it continues as it is, it causes patients to suffer as well.”
Collaboration is ‘critical’
Dr Helen Howson from the health think tank the Bevan Commission said the idea of working together across all areas of health could bring benefits.
“Partnership and collaboration is actually going to be a critical part of finding the solutions that we need, and collaboration is going to be important,” he said.
“I think we now have a much more conducive environment to innovate, share and learn together, and that positive and constructive dialogue with all partners, whether it’s England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or our international partners , it can only be good.”
On Sunday, Health Minister Jeremy Miles said BBC Politics Wales that while the number of patients treated had increased over the past 18 months, with 120,000 receiving emergency treatment, “dentistry is not where we want it to be”.
“What we’ve done is reform the dental contract with the BDA to focus more on the needs of patients rather than these regular six-monthly check-ups that most people don’t need,” he said.
“The task now is to see what further reforms we can make.”
The Welsh Government said the changes introduced from 2022 have improved access for around 500,000 people.
It said it was working with the BDA to “explore how reform of the national dental contract can encourage dental practices to work together locally”.
He also said he had developed one All Wales Dental Access Portal to “prevent patients from having to call multiple dental practices in their area trying to find an NHS dentist”.
