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Access to NHS Dentistry 2025-05-22
22 May 2025
Lead MP
Melanie Onn
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
NHS
Other Contributors: 25
At a Glance
Melanie Onn raised concerns about access to nhs dentistry 2025-05-22 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Labour has promised to tackle the lack of NHS dental services, with progress including extra urgent appointments. The Government is focusing on prevention through supervised tooth-brushing schemes in schools but faces a crisis where dentists deliver care at a loss, with only 39% in England spending most time on NHS work compared to nearly 60% in Scotland. Constituents like Catherine are suffering due to long waiting lists and financial constraints, leading to severe oral health deterioration.
Julian Lewis
Con
New Forest East
Agrees with the Labour initiative but points out that dentists can charge high fees in private practice, making it financially unattractive for them to work in NHS. Emphasises the need for a rewritten constitution and contract to make NHS work worthwhile.
Irene Campbell
Lab
North Ayrshire and Arran
Highlights that when the NHS was introduced, 83% of dentists signed up, compared to currently 66%. Points out decreasing numbers of participating dentists in Scotland, affecting patient access. Discusses health inequalities with children from deprived areas less likely to have seen a dentist recently.
Andrew Murrison
Con
South West Wiltshire
Acknowledges that NHS dentists are saints but emphasises the need for incentives due to financial implications. Discusses the 2006 dental contract and its impact on dentist participation in the NHS.
John Milne
LD
Horsham
The MP shares stories from his constituents who have struggled with high prices for urgent dental treatment. He emphasises that the NHS contract based on units of dental activity is no longer fit for purpose and calls for quick action to prevent a significant reduction in NHS dentistry services.
Ben Goldsborough
Lab
South Norfolk
The MP discusses the urgent and worsening state of NHS dentistry in Norfolk, highlighting that only 328 dentists are available with any NHS activity, a decrease from 423 in 2019. He calls for investment in a new dental school to train dentists where they are needed and urges reform of the broken NHS dental contract.
Alison Griffiths
Con
Bognor Regis and Littlehampton
The MP raises concerns about the low rates of adults seen by an NHS dentist in her constituency, citing testimonies from constituents struggling to access basic dental care. She welcomes recent steps taken by the Government but calls for real contract reform.
Jo Platt
Lab/Co-op
Leigh and Atherton
The MP discusses heartbreaking stories of people in her constituency struggling with accessing NHS dentistry, particularly a constituent who cannot find an NHS dentist to provide the dentures he needs. She supports the Government's announcement of 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments and calls for better support for practices to attract and retain staff.
West Dorset
The crisis in dental care is deeply affecting rural communities like West Dorset, where there are just 15 dental practices for a population of over 94,000. Only 36% of adults and 50% of children have seen a dentist in the past two years. The Government's rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent appointments is welcome but needs further detail on how rural areas will benefit.
Tiverton and Minehead
Minehead has the fewest dentists in the UK. The integrated care boards should be lobbied to ensure contracts are given out properly, as only two of 22 dentists have been recruited under the current funding model.
Torbay
The Conservative golden hello scheme has failed in Devon. Only two out of 22 dentists have actually been recruited despite a £377,000 budget for recruitment.
Amber Valley
Amber Valley has less than a quarter of the national average number of NHS dentists. Dentists receive low payment per treatment and struggle to retain staff, leading to long waiting lists. The integrated care board secured an additional £240,000 but more is needed for urgent dental care.
Claire Young
LD
Thornbury and Yate
NHS dental activity delivery rate in the south-west is 61.6%, compared to 94.7% in London, leading to high numbers of A&E visits for dental issues. Patients face difficulties finding NHS dentists and are forced into private treatment or suffer without care.
Witney
There is a consensus that the NHS dental contract needs fixing, but a timeline for legislative action should be provided. Immediate solutions for patients like Claire Young's constituents are also needed.
Chris Webb
Lab
Blackpool South
Single mothers and children suffer immensely due to lack of NHS dental care. My constituent Louise had to watch her four-year-old son suffer toothache without any proper treatment for up to two years, managing pain with Calpol and ibuprofen.
North Norfolk
Highlighted the case of Philip, a veteran who lost teeth and faced no local NHS dentists. Welcomed positive developments like an expanded dental practice in Cromer but criticised delays caused by lack of funding for a dental school at University of East Anglia.
Lizzi Collinge
Lab
Morecambe and Lunesdale
Described severe issues in Morecambe and Lunesdale, such as retired couples travelling long distances to see dentists. Criticised the NHS dental contract's perverse incentives that discourage treating patients who need it most. Emphasised the importance of prevention measures like supervised brushing and fluoride applications.
South Devon
Noted South Devon faces a severe lack of NHS dentists with over 60% adults and half of children not seeing a dentist in two years. Cited the underfunded NHS dental system, leading to staff shortages and low morale among professionals. Advocated for an emergency scheme to ensure free NHS check-ups for vulnerable groups.
Birmingham Erdington
Emphasised the importance of preventive care measures such as supervised brushing and fluoride applications in early years settings to protect children from tooth decay. Supported her colleague's call for prevention rather than curative approaches.
Alex McIntyre
Lab
Gloucester
Acknowledged the efforts of dentists, hygienists, dental nurses and practice staff in his constituency but did not provide a detailed position beyond this statement.
Susan Murray
LD
Mid Dunbartonshire
Families in Scotland struggle to access NHS dental treatment. Only about 66% of children have seen an NHS dentist in the past two years, with numbers dropping to 50% in deprived areas. Before the pandemic, Scotland admitted around 8,000 children annually for tooth extractions under general anaesthetic. The financial strain on dentists due to private sector incentives is leading to fewer NHS dental appointments and more providers moving into private practice.
Peter Prinsley
Lab
Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket
The state of NHS dentistry reflects a decade of neglect, with urgent care increasing by 35% in Peter's constituency. There are only 24 dentists per 100,000 people in the east of England and addressing this issue requires revising the dental contract and expanding training opportunities.
Winchester
Preventive care is better than cure, but NHS dentistry fails at basic public health levels. Dentists cross-subsidize NHS work with private income due to outdated contracts and increased staff costs from the national insurance rise. Oral health impacts overall physical conditions like cancer and heart problems.
Caroline Johnson
Con
Sleaford and North Hykeham
Access to NHS dentistry has long been problematic, but there is not a shortage of dentists per capita compared to 2010. The issue lies in the paucity of dentists doing NHS work due to financial incentives for private practice.
Richard Johnson
Lab
Sleaford and North Hykeham
The main problem with the current system is the 2006 contract for dental procedures. The amounts vary between practices based on historical data, there is a disincentive to treat new or high-need patients, and UDAs do not cover all costs. There needs to be reform of this contract and more dental places in underserved areas like Norwich and Lincoln.
Alex McIntyre
Lab
Coventry South
Asked the Minister for Secondary Care about the issue of national insurance costs for dental practices, suggesting that NHS dentists should be exempt from the recent increase in national insurance contributions.
Government Response
The Government have made progress on their plan to address immediate needs of patients through additional urgent dental appointments. Investments include £11 million for a supervised toothbrushing programme, expanded community water fluoridation in the north-east, and efforts to reform the dental contract with input from the British Dental Association.
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Assessment & feedback
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