Almost a quarter of adults in the Netherlands have avoided or postponed a visit to the dentist at some point because of the cost, a CBS survey into perceived inequality in healthcare has shown.

Respondents in the survey were divided into four income groups. Some 33% of people with the lowest income said they had avoided a visit to the dentist compared to 15% in the highest income group.

Dental care for children up to 18 is part of the basic health package but adults have to take out insurance for dental cover or pay the bills themselves.

In total, 7% of people felt they had less of a chance of getting good healthcare than their peers. That figure doubled for people on the lowest income, who also claimed more often that their family doctor did not take them seriously.

Almost four in five adults said they could make a quick appointment with their family doctor and 84% said they were taken seriously when they did visit their doctor.

Men were slightly less likely than women to be able to make a quick appointment and to feel that they were being listened to, the CBS said.