NHS Dental Services West Dorset 2026-01-13
2026-01-13
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Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
NHS dentistry in West Dorset is facing a severe crisis with only 15 practices offering any kind of NHS care, and less than half of young people having seen a dentist in the past two years. Residents are reporting preventable health issues such as elderly individuals removing their own teeth and children needing emergency dental treatment.
NHS dentistry in West Dorset is in crisis. We have just 15 practices offering any kind of NHS care, and only half of young people have seen a dentist in the last two years. Residents are writing to me about elderly people removing their own teeth and children in A&E with preventable tooth decay. What consideration has the Minister given to requiring supervised trainee dentists on placement at dental training schools to work exclusively on NHS waiting lists rather than taking private appointments, which would help reduce the backlog?
The hon. Gentleman will have noted that we have committed to tie-ins for future dentists going through the training programme. It costs the taxpayer hundreds of thousands of pounds to train a dentist, and we believe it is absolutely right that a significant percentage of their time should be put into NHS dentistry.
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Assessment & feedback
The Minister did not address the specific proposal about requiring supervised trainee dentists on placement at dental training schools to work exclusively on NHS waiting lists.
Response accuracy