The governmental strategy to expand access to NHS dental services in England has been labeled a “complete failure” by a scathing report. Some initiatives by the government are even accused of exacerbating the dental crisis, leaving millions without necessary care. Without major reforms, the future of NHS dentistry on a national scale is in jeopardy, as highlighted by the Public Accounts Committee. Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the committee’s chair, criticized the situation whereby British citizens are resorting to risky self-dentistry in the 21st century due to lack of access to proper dental care.
The dental recovery plan introduced last year aimed to resolve these issues but has conspicuously failed to do so, with government measures seemingly making matters worse by reducing the number of new patients seen by NHS dentists. The plan, launched by the Conservative government, aimed to fund over 1.5 million additional NHS treatments and 2.5 million more appointments, yet initiatives such as the New Patient Premium (NPP) and the “golden hello” scheme for recruiting dentists have not yielded the expected results.
Only a small fraction of the intended number of dentists have been appointed through incentive schemes, and mobile dental vans scheduled to target underserved areas have been discontinued. The report from the Public Accounts Committee suggests that current funding and contractual arrangements will only cover around half of England’s population for NHS dental visits over two years at best.
Research indicates that merely 40% of adults visited an NHS dentist between March 2022 and March 2024, a decline from the 49% who did so in the two years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic. The pay discrepancy between NHS and private dental work is also highlighted as a “fundamental issue” for improving access. Without adequate remuneration, the report warns that more dentists will transition to private practice exclusively.
Health think-tank, the Nuffield Trust, and the British Dental Association have echoed these concerns, with Thea Stein stating that NHS dentistry as a universal service has essentially failed. Timeline: December 18th, 2023 – The Nuffield Trust warns NHS dentistry in England is in disrepair and not fixable by minor adjustments.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/04/plan-increase-access-nhs-dentists-england-complete-failure-mps
