All the latest dentistry news, all in one place.

Our dental news feed will be regularly updated to help you stay informed and keep up-to-date with everything that's happening in the industry.

Spending review: what does the dental profession think?

The UK chancellor has pledged to increase NHS funding by 3% in her latest spending review as she promises to ‘renew Britain’.

Plans for NHS dentistry in Wales could see 64% dentists go fully private

Patients in Wales could be offered treatment at any available practice within their area under new plans for NHS dentistry, sparking criticism from the profession.

Minister Cautious: LDCs Told - UDAs For Now

The annual LDC conference may have appeared to those delivering NHS care, as a triumph of hope over experience.

Care minister fails to commit to ‘decisive break’ with UDA system

The minister of state for care did not promise a ‘decisive break’ with the current UDA system – but said a timeframe for contract reform is coming.

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NI: Proposed funding ‘not it’ says dentistry body

The British Dental Association (BDA) has said the very survival of health service dentistry depends on radical transformation, but proposals announced by the health minister are "not it". Read more

NHS dentists to receive 4% pay rise

The government has confirmed that NHS dentists will receive a 4% pay rise, which dental experts warn will not cover the rising cost of care. Read more

Government calls for dentists to consult on contract reform

The government has launched a survey of dentists in England to inform plans to improve NHS dentistry and reform the NHS dental contract. Read more

Plan for change: how is NHS dentistry being fixed?

The government’s plan for change promises an ‘NHS fit for the future’ – we explore how the plan will impact dentistry in the UK. Read more

NHS dental access: latest statistics revealed

Only one fifth of patients who tried to get an NHS dental appointment in the last month were successful, a new government survey found. Around half of those surveyed (53.2%) used NHS dental services. A further 35.6% used private dental services, while 10.9% said they did not have a dentist. Read more

NI – Dentists to ‘shrink NHS element’ to ‘keep the lights on’

Dentists will have to reduce the NHS elements of their practice due to the hike in National Insurance contributions (NICs) this month, the Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee has warned. Read more

Oral Health Foundation rails against NHS charges

Independent charity the Oral Health Foundation has launched a stinging attack on the latest increase in NHS dental charges which took effect at the beginning of the month. Read more

BDA Wales: Hard to follow: A consultation on a new unnegotiated contract

The model for a new General Dental Services contract is now published. We will of course give a full and informed response as to whether it meets the specific needs of patients and the profession. But at the outset, we need to be totally frank with our members: this model is NOT a… Read more

BDA backs call that ‘tweaks’ can’t save NHS dentistry

The British Dental Association has called on Government to heed the call of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and deliver fundamental reform of NHS dentistry, underpinned by sustainable funding. Read more

Man forced to drive 1,000 miles for NHS dental care

A man from Cornwall reportedly drove for more than 10 hours for an NHS dental appointment in Scotland after searching nearby for years. Read more

BDA ponders whether reform can end crisis in Wales

Responding to the launch of the consultation on reform of NHS dentistry the British Dental Association Cymru has said it will be reaching out to dentists across Wales get the clearest picture from the frontline. Read more

NHS satisfaction levels revealed

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published data on public access and satisfaction of NHS services in England. The data is the eighth in the ONS’ series looking at adults’ experiences of local dentistry, GP, and pharmacy services. The analysis relates to self-reported data collected during the period between… Read more

Keir Starmer to abolish NHS England: the dental profession reacts

Prime minister Keir Starmer has announced he will abolish NHS England, the administrator managing the health service, as experts warn of the ‘critical’ impact on dentistry. NHS England will be brought into the government to avoid duplication of jobs across the two organisations, resulting in a 50% reduction in staff. Read more

Charges to rise: more stealth cuts from the Treasury

The latest increase in NHS patient charges have landed, another round of ‘stealth cuts’ that will not put a penny into the cash-strapped service. Read more

Planned 50% cut to health staff could ‘critically undermine’ dentistry, experts warn

NHS England and government health staff will be reduced by 50% as part of a restructuring that will give the government greater control over the health service. Around 6,500 jobs may be at risk across NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Read more

Government meeting less than 1/3 of unmet need for urgent care

Following a string of reports of DIY dentistry, and death - or near death - experiences from dental infections, we’ve found that government discovered demand for urgent care of 2.2 million but covered less than a third of it. Read more

‘There could be no NHS dentists in two years’

A dentist says he feels "strangled" by NHS contracts and believes NHS dentists may not exist in two years' time. Read more

How does NHS dental access compare across England?

Access to NHS dentistry is uneven across England, according to new data analysing A&E visits, staff turnover and access to dentists. There were around 26.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) dentists per 100,000 people in England as of March 2024. The east of England (24.3) and the south west (24.4) recorded the lowest… Read more

Funding stalls for NHS dentistry, dental leaders warn

Following a ‘damning’ report into NHS funding, dental leaders have urged the government to ‘put its money where its mouth is’ and fix NHS dentistry. Read more

Millions have not seen a dentist in more than two years

Analysis of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) ‘Experiences of NHS healthcare services in England’ survey revealed a significant gap in dental care. Read more

NHS patient data may be used for AI training by private companie

The government is considering plans to allow NHS patient data to be used for research and profit by private companies as part of an artificial intelligence (AI) push. Read more

BDA – NHS dentistry: All we want for Christmas is clarity

Dentists in England are set to break for Christmas with no idea about when contractual uplifts will land, what shape support might take for the hike in overheads brought by the recent Budget, and little sense of where promised reform sits on the new Government’s to do list. Read more

Prime minister’s ‘plan for change’ excludes dentistry

Dental experts have criticised prime minister Keir Starmer’s ‘plan for change’, which did not mention the government’s pledges for dentistry. On 5 December, Keir Starmer made a speech laying out the plan for change. It included targets and timelines for many key manifesto pledges, but those about dentistry were not… Read more

Three in four dentists do not enjoy NHS work, survey says

Almost three quarters of NHS dentists and 65% of dental nurses said they do not enjoy working in the NHS. Six in 10 (61%) were also considering doing less NHS work in the next two years, according to the survey. Eight in 10 (81%) said they were expecting to carry… Read more

Up to 96% of practices are not accepting new NHS adult patients

Up to 96% of dental practices in England are unable to take on new adult NHS patients, suggest findings from a new Daily Mirror investigation. Read more

BDA: No real clarity on NI support

The British Dental Association has warned that ongoing ambiguity over whether Government will cover the cost of National Insurance increases for primary care providers will put already fragile services at risk. Read more

BDA- The Budget: “Another nail in the coffin”

A hike in National Insurance (NI) contributions – without needed support - has infuriated dentists, many of whom are already struggling to balance the books. Read more

BDA: Pushing for urgency on reform

We are winning the argument on NHS dentistry: What we need now is a firm timetable. Written by: Shawn Charlwood, Chair, General Dental Practice Committee The Government says it intends to work “quickly” on reform of NHS dentistry. Read more

Six Scottish council areas unable to take on new NHS patients, report says

Six Scottish council areas now have no practices that are taking on new adult NHS patients within three months, new research shows. According to BBC research, only one in every four dental practices across Scotland said they are offering NHS appointments to new patients within that timeframe. Read more

Sexual misconduct: anonymous reporting launched for NHS staff

NHS staff will be able to anonymously report incidents of sexual misconduct as part of new plans to improve safety for staff. Issued to local hospitals, the new framework is available from today (Wednesday 16 October) and outlines how those working in the NHS should recognise, report and act on… Read more

Almost all new patients unable to access NHS dental care

New data shows that up to 97% of new patients who try to access NHS dental care are unsuccessful, prompting calls for the new government to act fast. The Office for National Statistics Experiences of NHS healthcare services in England shows 96.9% of those who do not have a dentist… Read more

Six in 10 NHS patients would consider private care, says report

More than six in 10 (61%) of NHS dental patients would consider paying for private dental care, new research suggests. Read more

Wales: Resolution of disputed volumetric target in GDS contract variation

Many practices in the GDS reform programme have been facing an unobtainable 75% target for historic patients and left wondering how to deliver their contract this year. Read more

AI for patient care supported by three quarters of NHS staff

More than three quarters of staff surveyed were in favour of using AI for patient care, while 81% also supported its use for administrative tasks. The public were less positive about artificial intelligence (AI), though more than half (54%) still supported its use in patient care. Six in 10 (61%)… Read more

How can NHS dentistry be fixed?

Following the Labour government’s discussions with dental leaders on how to fix NHS dentistry, we hear some proposed solutions from the dental profession. Read more

Wes Streeting must declare a state of dental emergency, says letter

‘Successive governments and NHS dentistry leaders have collectively failed the public,’ an open letter to Wes Streeting on NHS dentistry has said. Signed by Mark Jones, founder of dental campaign group Toothless in England, the letter lays out the group’s expectations for the new government regarding NHS dentistry. Read more

England: Tie in proposals and the need for real reform

Just hours before firing the starting gun on the 2024 election, the last government opened a consultation on proposals to force those who start training as dentists in England to work on the NHS, or face paying up to an additional £200,000 in fees. Read more

More than 35,000 Scots left NHS dentistry for private care

Thousands of people in Scotland have walked away from NHS dentistry and opted for private dental care since 2019. According to findings obtained through a Scottish Labour freedom of information request, at least 36,818 patients have not opted for health service provision in a four-year period. Read more

Unmet need for NHS dentistry in England stands at 13m, says association

The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned unmet need for NHS dentistry in England is at an all-time high. It said the data shows no sign of recovery for the struggling service. Read more

Health secretary to launch NHS investigation

Health secretary Wes Streeting has announced that an independent investigation will be taking place into the performance of the NHS. Read more

Winning the argument for change

As the new Government accepts what’s fuelling the crisis in NHS dentistry it’s time to move to rescue and reform. Read more

Health secretary discusses contract reform with dental leaders

The health secretary Wes Streeting today met with dental leaders to begin negotiations on the NHS dental contract. He also discussed the launch of Labour’s Dentistry Rescue Plan, which aims to create an additional 700,000 emergency dental appointments each year and tackle ‘dental deserts’. Read more

Starmer pledges to fix ‘broken’ NHS ahead of pay talks

The prime minister said work will start "straight away" to fix the NHS after Labour's general election victory. Read more

Nine in 10 practices falsely categorised as ‘accepting NHS patients’, says BDA

An investigation found that out of 100 practices categorised as accepting NHS patients, only 10 actually had capacity to do so. Read more

‘There is a dental crisis and voters deserve better’

Pamela Widdison, Kevin Paul and Billy Crotty said they were left in pain after they could not get an NHS dentist. Some found solutions privately, one could not afford it, but they all believed the NHS dental system was in crisis and needed to change. Read more

NHS force closure of practice in high needs area

Thousands of NHS patients face ’disaster’ after a dental practice was ordered to close by the NHS. Sefton Dental Centre, a practice in Bootle, estimated that it cared for 7,000 patients under the NHS. Read more

Dental crisis now a top issue for voters

The British Dental Association has said failure to set out credible plans to save NHS dentistry will hit the parties at the ballot box, with evidence showing the state of the service is now at the forefront of voter concerns. Read more

Women’s Institute to launch campaign on NHS dentistry

The British Dental Association has applauded the Women’s Institute’s landslide vote to launch a national campaign pressing the next Government to act to end the growing crisis in NHS dental services. Read more

NHS dentistry delivery still 15% lower than pre-pandemic levels

NHS dental treatment delivery has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with 2022/2023 treatment levels falling 15% behind. Read more

England: Tie-ins won’t halt exodus from service

‘Tying-in’ inexperienced younger dentists will never compensate for the ongoing losses of older, experienced colleagues fuelled by the discredited NHS contract We are very clear that ‘tying-in’ inexperienced younger dentists will never compensate for the ongoing losses of older, experienced colleagues fuelled by the discredited NHS contract. Read more

Andrea Leadsom introduces £20,000 ‘golden hello’ scheme

Today (10 May) NHS England launched its ‘golden hello’ recruitment scheme – hear from MP Andrea Leadsom on the £20,000 bonus for dentists in under-served areas. Read more

NHS Dentistry crisis makes Financial Times

In a story based upon its own analysis, the Financial Times has concluded that £150 million of the dental budget remains unspent and that it was also experiencing a “recruitment crisis.” Read more

BDA – Extend miscarriage leave for NHS GDPs

We are calling on NHS England to extend its recently updated miscarriage policy for NHS GDPs. Read more

Almost £150 million of NHS funding returned by dentists, says new analysis

NHS dentists in England returned almost £150 million worth of government funding last year after failing to meet their treatment targets. Read more

Call for political parties to focus on NHS dentistry in election manifestos

A leading dentist has urged political parties to prioritise NHS dentistry in their upcoming election manifestos. Read more

Government exploring ‘non-van solutions’ after promising mobile clinics

The government is looking into ‘non-van solutions’ to the dental access crisis despite pledging a fleet of mobile clinics in the NHS dental recovery plan. In a document on the government website, it reports ‘limited availability’ of both dental vans and the required workforce to run them. Read more

Ukrainian refugees returning home for dental treatment

A mother from Ukraine has said she will return to the country in order to get dental treatment due to access troubles in the UK. According to a BBC report, the 36 year old said she was in ‘excruciating’ pain – but struggled to access NHS dentistry and could not afford private… Read more

Public satisfaction with NHS at lowest ever level, survey shows

Public satisfaction with the NHS has dropped again, setting a new low recorded by the long-running British Social Attitudes survey. Just 24% said they were satisfied with the NHS in 2023, with waiting times and staff shortages the biggest concerns. Read more

Schrödinger’s Recovery Plan: Minister reprimanded for misleading House on dentistry

The British Dental Association has backed Yasmin Qureshi MP as she exposed Secretary of State Victoria Atkins for misleading the House with inaccurate claims that the Government’s so-called ‘Recovery Plan’ for NHS dentistry is funded by £200m in ‘new’ money. Read more

NHS dental recovery plan could be unreliable, government admits

The government gave ‘evasive and inaccurate answers’ regarding NHS dentistry at today’s Health and Social Care Committee hearing, the profession has said. This is according to the British Dental Association (BDA), which had representatives attend the meeting. Read more

Three in five call for dentists to be paid more for NHS work

Two thirds of the public believe NHS dental services to be in crisis, with the majority wanting more government investment in dentistry. Read more

Only 15% dental practices are fully NHS, data shows

Only 15% of dental practices are fully NHS, according to new statistics, while three in five dentists work 30 hours or less each week. Read more

Will the new patient premium tackle the access crisis?

Experts from across the dental profession and government discuss their views on the new patient premium announced as part of the dental recovery plan. Read more

NHS dentists: Exam could be scrapped for overseas applicants

The government is considering plans to allow dentists from abroad to work without taking an exam to check their education and skills. The proposal, which is subject to a three-month consultation, aims to address the severe shortage of NHS dentists. Read more

Reality check: Migrants not to blame for crisis in NHS dentistry

With government backbenchers and Reform Party leaders trying to pin the crisis in dentistry on migrants, we’ve spelled out the facts. Read more

NHS dentistry recovery plan – what do we know so far?

Details of the long-awaited NHS dentistry recovery plan have been released – here’s all you need to know so far. Read more

NHS Dentistry sees biggest fall in budget in decades

With millions struggling to access care, Government spending on NHS dentistry has seen the biggest annual cut in decades, according to accounts set before parliament today. Read more

‘Not feasible nor justifiable’ – European Parliament votes to ban dental amalgam from 2025

Following today’s European Parliament vote to ban dental amalgam from 1 January 2025, the profession has warned of the impact on UK dental services. Silver amalgam is currently the most common material for NHS permanent fillings across the UK. Fillings represent around a quarter of all courses of NHS treatment… Read more

Platitudes and half-truths on NHS dentistry – but no action

British Dental Association has lamented the wholesale lack of clarity from Government over plans to save NHS dentistry. Read more

Wirral MP calls for improved dental care for all children

Margaret Greenwood MP is calling on the government to develop a comprehensive national children’s oral health strategy to reduce waiting times and focus on targeted preventive measures, early intervention and improved access to high-quality dental care for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status or location. Read more