Mr. Aldous highlighted the longstanding crisis in NHS dentistry within his constituency and surrounding areas, exacerbated by dentist retirements and reduced funding over the past decade. He cited specific closures of dental practices due to recruitment difficulties, resulting in a critical shortage of available dentists for new patients. The British Dental Association's survey revealed that almost half of respondents planned to leave NHS dentistry in the next 12 months, while two-thirds estimated they would not meet their activity targets. Mr. Aldous emphasised the need for prevention-focused measures and reforms to the current dental contract, particularly concerning high-capacity ventilators for dental surgeries and recognition of overseas-trained dentists.