She supports the idea of revitalizing NHS dentistry to address the severe lack of access for her constituents in Newcastle. She highlights that a whole generation is growing up without dental care, leading to immense suffering now and additional costs in the future.

She emphasises the importance of accurate data collection on NHS dentistry work. She notes that over half of dentists have reduced their NHS workload since the pandemic, and calls for a more precise measure of how much NHS work dentists actually do compared to private practice.

Mr Gale notes that the Chairman of the Select Committee was brief in his contribution and suggests that if all Members emulate this brevity, it will be possible for everyone to have their say without a time limit being imposed. He also mentions another debate scheduled to follow.

The crisis in NHS dentistry is a national issue caused by years of funding withdrawal and poor contract design. Short-term challenges include retaining funding for dentistry, recruiting more dentists from abroad, and replacing the outdated contract system. Long-term solutions must focus on prevention, fair funding, improved recruitment, accountability, fluoridation, better oral healthcare strategies for children, and addressing elderly care in dental policy.

NHS dentistry is in crisis due to a recruitment and retention issue, causing significant access problems for patients in Hull and Yorkshire. Constituents face long waiting lists or no available appointments, leading to severe dental health issues among children and adults. Johnson calls for immediate action to address the lack of NHS dentists through establishing new dental schools and reforming the dental contract.

Acknowledges the need for NHS dental reform but supports the Government’s direction towards a sustainable plan. Emphasises the structural issue with the current NHS dental contract which acts as a disincentive for dentists to take on NHS work, leading to financial struggles and reliance on expensive locums. Urges radical reforms in remuneration to ensure established dentists continue offering services and discourages newly qualified dentists from private work.

Dentistry is in crisis due to chronic underfunding by the Conservative Government, leading to a recruitment and retention problem. NHS dentistry has been cut beyond other sectors, making prevention impossible. Questions the Government on adopting a preventive approach, providing necessary funding, and reforming the dental contract with the British Dental Association.

I have received communications from constituents regarding problems with securing an NHS dentist appointment. One in four adults in England have delayed or avoided care due to cost, and despite the Government's efforts, waiting times are still affecting access to dental services. The BBC found that 91% of practices cannot accept new adult patients and 80% cannot accept children. Oral health inequality is rising, and more must be done to retain dentists, recruit new ones, and ensure adequate funding. My constituents Sacha and Joan face difficulties accessing care due to lack of available dentists. I welcome the Government's plan for dentistry but implore them to help those in need.

This debate is about reforming NHS dentistry, addressing underfunding and problems with burnout, recruitment, and retention. The situation has worsened since 2021-22, and morale among dentists is at an all-time low. I ask the Minister whether he accepts that there is a problem with access to NHS dental services.

Indicated assent without elaborating further.

I thank the hon. Members for Bradford South and Waveney, and I stress that dental care in Milton Keynes is failing to meet demand due to underfunding and historical contractual issues. Constituents face difficulties accessing NHS dentists and are forced into private options or travel long distances. Expansion before infrastructure has caused further pressure on local services, making it hard for Government reforms to have an impact. I welcome the Department's plan but hope for changes that ensure vulnerable families can access care without costly arrangements.

The ever-growing despair has left York and North Yorkshire without adequate dental care. Constituents face waiting lists of five years or more, leading to severe dental issues like tooth extractions at home. The crisis requires radical reform, including a new dental charter and training more professionals. The Government must support the creation of a dental school in York, improve foundation training, and prioritise preventive measures for young people.

Barrow and Furness face severe shortages in NHS dental care, with practices closing and constituents unable to access basic services. Recruitment issues and complex registration processes discourage dentists from providing care in deprived areas, leading to a cycle of poor health and limited access. The Minister's recent reforms are welcomed but need further improvement to address the disparity in rural areas.

I am not saying that the dental industry is greedy. I believe the Government must step in and devise a new scheme that will adequately compensate dental practices and allow people to access the dental service they so desperately need. This debate highlights the increasing concern over the growing number of dentists refusing NHS clients, resulting in many people without basic dental care. The briefing from Denplan reveals that more than 19 million dental appointments were lost over the course of 2020, with some 70% of member dentists reporting concerns about their practice's financial stability due to factors such as covid-19 and rising prices. There is a clear need for better liaison with the dental industry and increased funding to shore up NHS dental access.

The problem we are discussing is obviously not getting better, and it is becoming a bigger issue in our casework. Healthwatch reports that this is the No. 1 issue raised by NHS patients, with four out of 10 people saying they have difficulty accessing dental care. The system has been decaying for some time, and lockdown made things significantly worse, leading to millions of lost appointments and thousands of dentists stopping NHS provision due to financial unviability. Currently, the payment system introduced in 2006 by a Labour Government is broken, as it does not pay enough to cover costs, particularly for treating needy patients. We need radical reform to make NHS dentistry appealing again, such as removing student debt for newly trained dentists who move into NHS provision and moving away from units of dental activity.

Extends thanks to the Backbench Business Committee, hon. Member for Bradford South and my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney for this debate. Focuses on the situation in Bolsover where one of the 75 practices being closed or sold by Bupa is located with no consultation. Emphasises that Bolsover was already bottom of the regional league tables for dentistry provision, and there will be no NHS practices accepting new adult patients once the Bupa practice is closed on 23 June. Encourages the ICB to look at all options available and requests Minister’s commitment to working with him to ensure a solution quickly. Raises concerns about the loss of a dentist practice while gaining several thousand new homes.

Highlights that dentists do not feel they can function on their current contract and asks for more financial viability in the UDA contract. Proposes looking at dental places and a bursary for dentists who commit to stay in the NHS for 5 or 10 years. Expresses uncertainty about taking dentists from abroad but acknowledges it may be necessary due to the backlog. Thanks local dentists, encourages Minister to remember what toothache feels like.

Discusses access issues in North Devon where she had over 18 months of searching for a local NHS dentist before being elected. Mentions constituents in dire need, one recovering from cancer unable to afford private treatment due to health reasons and another facing a seven-year wait list. Criticises the practice of naming areas as dental deserts as it exacerbates problems. Suggests creative solutions like including accommodation in employment packages or expediting hospital redevelopment for nurses' housing. Urges short-term measures such as bringing temporary dentists into North Devon to address urgent needs.

We have had a full debate today. This is the third Backbench Business debate on the subject, but not the third debate on dentistry; I have had an Adjournment debate on dentistry, for example. The subject is well rehearsed... My request to the Minister is to follow the numbers, to look at where the expenditure has been taking place and, more importantly, to look at the places where the expenditure has not taken place, and then to ask the question of his officials, “Why is that?” Why is it that even though in many parts of the east of England we have the worst dental health, the expenditure by the Government is fully half what it is in the midlands, and £20 less than the national average per person?

I am pleased that this Backbench Business debate has been allowed time; I thank the hon. Member for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) and my hon. Friend the Member for Waveney (Peter Aldous) for securing it... As we have all identified, units of dental activity are not keeping up to speed with demand. That is my constituents’ No. 1 priority. I hope that the Minister will ensure that appropriate action is taken to alleviate the pressures on NHS dentists and the dental pain that my constituents are suffering.

Andrew Gwynne commended the Members who initiated the debate for their efforts in raising awareness about NHS dentistry's crisis. He highlighted that the current situation is a long-standing issue affecting patients across the country, leading to severe consequences such as prolonged pain, self-extraction of teeth, and addiction to opiates due to lack of proper dental care. Gwynne shared specific cases from various regions showing significant delays in treatment and inaccessible services for many residents. He emphasised the urgent need to reform the current NHS dentistry system by addressing recruitment challenges and enhancing financial incentives for dentists.

The debate addressed the urgent need for reform in NHS dental services. Neil O'Brien thanked various MPs for their contributions and acknowledged the importance of transparency on data and delivery, training dentists in under-served places, prevention rather than treatment, and the need to address perverse effects of contract bands. He outlined recent changes such as introducing new UDA bands, a minimum UDA value, and enabling dentists to deliver 110% of their UDAs for the first time. Additionally, he mentioned measures to ease entry for international dentists and expand fluoridation in new areas. Despite these steps, O'Brien emphasised the need for further reforms due to ongoing challenges.

Asked the Minister to set out with clarity the data required to measure not only how many people are working in NHS dentistry but also the number of sessions provided, and to marry that up with need and demand.

Pressed the Minister on when reforms will be implemented, noting that the Government has had 13 years since 2010 to address issues within the NHS dental system. She emphasised the urgent need for change.

Thanked all Members for their contributions and highlighted the common issues of access to NHS dental services. She mentioned the need for full-scale reform due to worsening conditions since last year, with 90% of dentists no longer accepting new adult patients.