Access to NHS dental services in England remains below pre-pandemic levels, according to a recent report. Only 40% of adults visited an NHS dentist in the 24 months leading up to March 2024, compared to 49% before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of dentists providing some NHS care has decreased by 483 since the 2019-20 period.
By August 2024, the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) had spent £57 million out of a planned £200 million budget on dental initiatives. However, only two out of four initiatives have been fully implemented. The National Audit Office (NAO) noted that progress was affected by the general election.
Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, commented: "This report lays bare the stark failings of NHS dentistry - failings that have denied millions of people their right to timely, quality care." He emphasized that rural and underserved communities are most affected and called for transparency from DHSC and NHSE regarding their plans for NHS dentistry.
The government has introduced measures such as a new patient premium and increased payments for Units of Dental Activity (UDA). This led to a reported increase in dental practices accepting new adult patients between December 2023 and September 2024. However, there is uncertainty about whether these measures will achieve their intended impact.
Incentives like the 'Golden Hello' bonuses aim to recruit dentists into specific areas but have not yet met targets. Mobile dental vans were also proposed but remain unimplemented due to procurement delays exacerbated by political changes.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, stated: “NHS dentistry is in a state of crisis... The roll-out of dental vans and ‘golden hello’ bonuses to under-served communities has been slow.”
The NAO report highlighted regional disparities in access to NHS dentists across England. For example, Somerset saw significantly fewer treatments per capita compared to South Yorkshire in 2023-24.
Challenges remain for increasing access to NHS Dentistry as government efforts continue amid ongoing difficulties.
