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.

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.

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…

Registered dental therapists up by nearly 25% while technicians decline

The total number of dental professionals registered by the General Dental Council (GDC) has increased according to newly-released statistics. The regulator’s Registration Statistical Report for 2024 showed a total of 125,736 on the register at the end…

UK dental health crisis hits women hardest, says Women’s Institute

A lack of access to NHS dental care is hitting women hardest and deepening a uniquely gendered health crisis, claims a new report from the Women’s Institute (WI) – launched in Parliament on Wednesday 23…

Mental Health NHS COVID-19 Dental Health Practice Management Regulation Dental Profession Finance

Dentists: Skimping on urgent care is fuelling antibiotic resistance

In an open letter to Wes Streeting, we have warned that a failure to fully meet demand for urgent dental care will only increase the pressures on our health service, as antibiotics become a substitute for treatment. Read more

Supervised toothbrushing launched in UK schools

A national supervised toothbrushing programme will be rolled out for UK children aged three to five from April, the government has announced. Read more

‘Little change’ to oral health gap in England, report finds

A new oral health survey has revealed that ‘wide variation’ in the prevalence of decay in five-year-old schoolchildren across England remains. Read more

Oral bacteria impacts brain health, study finds

https://dentistry.co.uk/2025/02/07/oral-bacteria-impacts-brain-health-study-finds/#:~:text=Bad%20bacteria%20from%20the%20mouth%20can%20damage%20the%20brain%2C%20leading%20to%20an%20increased%20risk%20of%20dementia%2C%20according%20to%20a%20new%20study. Read more

Calls for government action on supervised toothbrushing disparity

Supervised toothbrushing provision varies greatly between different UK areas according to new research, as experts criticise the government’s failure to implement a nationwide scheme. Read more

The Oral Health Foundation commends the parliamentary discussion addressing the critical impact of food and diet on obesity

The Oral Health Foundation commends the parliamentary discussion addressing the critical impact of food and diet on obesity and welcomes the opportunity to emphasise how nutrition influences not only weight but also oral health – a vital yet often overlooked component of overall wellbeing. Read more

Males more likely to not have dentist than females, stats show

Just over half of adults report having an NHS dentist in the last month – with one third having private treatment. This is according to new findings from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Read more

BDA: Covid inquiry ignoring biggest hit and weakest recovery in healthcare

The British Dental Association has warned the mistakes made by the last UK Government during the pandemic – that have left millions unable to access dentistry – risk being repeated, given the UK Covid Inquiry’s unwillingness to consider the sector. Read more

Half of three-year-olds have never seen a dentist, survey says

Only 45% of parents said they had taken or planned to take their child to the dentist before the age of three, says a new survey. Read more

Dental crisis: the knock-on effects for mouth cancer

The ongoing dental crisis in the UK has led to fears that while many patients now simply cannot get an appointment, an increasing number of mouth cancer cases are potentially being overlooked Read more

Benefits of water fluoridation in decline, review finds

New research suggests that water fluoridation is a cost-effective measure but only leads to a slightly lower prevalence of caries in children. Read more

Calls for action on ‘national embarrassment’ of children’s oral health

‘Urgent action is needed’: a new report has laid out a strategy for the government to improve children’s oral health as research demonstrates high levels of dental disease. Read more

Experts call for NHS dental contracts reform to prioritise prevention

A new report from the College of General Dentistry, with support from Haleon, a health company and a provider of specialist oral health products, has released recommendations from oral health professionals on improving the provision of preventative oral healthcare. Read more

Two slices of ham a day ‘increases risk of type 2 diabetes risk 15%’

Meat consumption – particularly processed meat and unprocessed red meat – has been linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes. According to a new study by the University of Cambridge, regular consumption of 50 grams of processed meat a day – equivalent to two slices of ham – is associated… Read more

Adults wanting to quit smoking offered vaping kit

Adults in Bath and north east Somerset wishing to stop smoking will be offered a free vaping kit in exchange for handing in cigarettes. Read more

WHO declares mpox global health emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the mpox outbreak in parts of Africa a public health emergency of international concern. The highly contagious disease - formerly known as monkeypox - has killed at least 450 people during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read more

Death by heart disease 66% more likely after tooth loss, study says

People who have lost multiple teeth are two thirds more likely to die from heart disease, according to a new study. Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine found that heart disease risk was significantly higher for people who had lost all of their teeth. Lead… Read more

Experts warns of ‘worrying’ prescription drug shortage

Half (49%) of respondents had struggled to get a prescription drug dispensed in the past two years, a recent survey found. Read more

Widespread fear of dentists still deters attendance

New research by Bupa confirms that over half of adults experience ’severe nervousness about dental appointments’ with 76% of patients who suffer from dental anxiety putting off dental visits ’entirely’. Read more

NHS trusts say cost of living crisis has worsened public health

Almost all NHS trusts in England said the health of the public has worsened in their area due to rising costs, according to new research. Read more

Researchers hope ‘lollipops’ could detect mouth cancer

Researchers at the University of Birmingham have received funding for a project to create mouth cancer-detecting lollipops. The flavoured lollipop could be set to speed up diagnoses and identify cancer at an earlier stage. Read more

Antibiotics before dental treatment could save lives, research shows

Up to 78 lives per year could be saved if dentists could administer antibiotics to vulnerable patients with heart conditions before dental treatment, research shows. Read more

Water fluoridation – consultation launched on expansion in north east

The government has today launched a consultation expanding community water fluoridation schemes in the north east of England. This comes as part of the NHS dental recovery plan that was launched last month in a bid to address the current access crisis. Read more

Four million people off work with dental illnesses

A new survey has revealed that one in 10 adults in England have missed at least two weeks of work in the past three years due to oral health concerns. Read more

Women’s hormones and oral health: from puberty to menopause

Nina Garlo-Melkas explores the issues hormonal changes can cause for patients. International Women's Day is a good time to consider the impact of hormones on oral health. From adolescence to menopause, a woman's body undergoes hormonal fluctuations that affect oral health and, consequently, overall physical and mental wellbeing. Read more

‘Artificial tongue’ developed to target oral bacteria

Researchers have designed a chemical sensor array or ‘artificial tongue’ which identifies and deactivates bacteria in the mouth. Published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, the researchers’ report explains that the project aims to speed up identification of the bacteria that cause dental diseases and bacterial infections. Read more

No health without oral health: New report sheds light on the true impact of oral disease

The Oral Health Foundation is supporting calls for multi-pronged approach to improve global oral health, following the release of a new report. Read more

DIY dentistry ‘rampant’ across the UK, BDA warns

More than eight in 10 dentists have treated DIY dentistry cases since lockdown, a poll has suggested. The poll asked 500 UK dentists: Since lockdown have you ever treated a patient that has performed any form of DIY dentistry (this could include any form of DIY dental care, from a… Read more

Government failing to break link between decay and deprivation

British Dental Association has accused ministers of dragging their heals on policies that could narrow the huge oral health gap among children. Read more

A quarter of patients delayed dental care due to costs, says oral health survey

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) has released the conclusions of its ‘Adult Oral Health Survey 2021’. Read more

‘Like a battlefield’ – dentist details volume of dental sepsis cases

The profession is warning of increased cases of dental sepsis amidst ongoing access problems in UK dentistry. As part of its new ‘Dentists for All’ campaign, The Mirror reports that one clinician in the north of England reportedly described their local hospital as ‘like a battlefield’ given the volume of dental sepsis cases. Read more

Time to take energy drinks off the menu for under-16s

We are urgently calling on policy makers to reignite plans to restrict sales of energy drinks to children, after a new evidence review of the effects of energy drinks on children revealed wider ranging risks of mental and physical health problems associated with consumption. Read more

Cost of overweight population in UK ‘stands at £98 billion’

Obesity in the UK costs almost £100 billion a year, a new study has suggested, sparking government criticism. According to the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, the cost of those obesity increased to £98 billion from £58 billion in 2020. This is equivalent to almost 4% of GDP. Read more

One third of oral health professionals offer preventative advice to patients, study says

Around one third (34%) of oral health professionals always offer preventative care advice to patients, according to new research. The study, carried out by Haleon and the College of General Dentistry, looked at the current role of preventative oral healthcare in the UK. Read more

Sugar tax may have reduced hospital admissions for child tooth extractions, study suggests

Data reveals negative impact of cost of living crisis on attitudes to dentistry

Newly released data has demonstrated the impact of the cost of living crisis on the UK public’s perception of dentistry and their own oral health. The findings are taken from Wrigley’s Oral Health Index, a survey of more than 6,000 participants over the age of 16 across the UK. Read more

Mouth-cancer deaths fear over NHS dentist shortage

Lack of access to dentists is costing lives because mouth cancers are not being spotted or treated early enough, a health charity has told BBC News. Read more

Discuss measles immunisation with patients, society urges

The British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD) has issued advice to members to open up conversations about vaccinations as reports of measles cases increase across the UK. Read more

Tesco to cover VAT on its kids’ toothbrushes and toothpastes

BSPD welcomes supervised toothbrushing plan targeting 20% most deprived children

Today’s Labour Party announcement proposing a supervised toothbrushing scheme to target three, four and five year olds in the twenty percent most deprived areas in England is warmly received by the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD). Based on the CORE20 part of the CORE20PLUS5 CYP[1] initiative, the costed and funded… Read more

Four in five women over 50 are unaware of menopause-oral health link

New data suggests that 84% of women over 50 are not aware of the oral health impacts of menopause, with 70% experiencing oral symptoms they do not realise are related. Read more

Twenty three million sick days lost to dental pain, new figures show

New figures have revealed that nearly three in 10 (28%) people in the UK have taken time off work due to dental pain. This is the equivalent of 23 million sick days. In addition, 7% have taken more than a week off work due to dental pain, and around one… Read more

Poor oral health ‘could lower survival rates of head and neck cancer’

There is a strong link between oral health and survival among people diagnosed with head and neck cancer. This is according to a new international study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Read more

‘Living fillings’ could restore enamel, study finds

A team of scientists have created enamel-growing organoids which could help to restore and regrow damaged teeth. Read more

Toothbrushing packs to be given to vulnerable people and families

Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council have secured £100,000 of ring-fenced funding from NHS England to buy and distribute toothbrushing packs to foodbanks and other organisations in the community that provide support for vulnerable people and families. Read more

Secondary schools roll out initiative to battle tooth decay

UK secondary schools have rolled out ‘critical’ school-based intervention to reduce tooth decay in young people. Read more

Ministers urged to crack down on vape marketing to children

The ‘insidious’ marketing of vapes to young people is leaving them so addicted to nicotine they can’t concentrate on lessons. Read more

Taskforce backs the benefits of teledentistry to improve global oral care

A global task force of academic experts has concluded that teledentistry has the ability to give millions more people around the world regular access to dental services. Read more

England: Ministers have moral duty to act on access crisis in care homes

Ministers need to take action to safeguard our most vulnerable patients, following a new report from the Care Quality Commission, which reveals a collapse in access to dentistry in care homes. Read more

App connects dentists with consultants for expert advice and support

A phone app that puts GPs in touch with hospital consultants for expert advice is also being used by dentists in Swansea Bay in a UK first. After being used successfully by GPs, Consultant Connect has now been adopted by dentists in both general dental services (GDS) and community dental… Read more

Dentists warn of permanent damage from clear braces ordered online

Dentists have told the BBC that demand for Instagram smiles has left people with damage from wearing clear braces or "aligners" ordered online. One man said aligners weakened his front teeth, leaving him unable to bite into an apple. Read more

Accessing the impact of Covid-19

The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned the latest official research on the impact of the pandemic on access to dental care in England underlines the need for urgent and fundamental reform, with decades of improvements to the nation’s oral health now at risk. Read more

Dentists: Food industry misleading parents on sugar

The British Dental Association has said government must stamp out misleading marketing claims by children's food manufacturers, in response to damning new research from Action on Sugar. Read more

New device for early detection of gum disease

Researchers from the University of Birmingham are developing a rapid test for gum disease, and they expect the technology - a probe for use in point of care settings such as dental surgeries or pharmacies - to play a pivotal role in early detection of heart or lung disease, type… Read more

Record high of mouth cancer cases

Figures collected by the Oral Health Foundation show that 8,864 people in the UK were diagnosed with the disease last year. This has increased by 34 per cent compared to 10 years ago and has more than doubled (103 per cent) within the last generation. Read more

Study links face-to-face dentistry restrictions to increased antibiotic prescription

MANCHESTER, UK: Dental guidelines in the UK, as in many countries, are predicated upon the knowledge that dental infections respond better to treatment procedures rather than to antibiotics. Restrictions in providing face-to-face dental services during the pandemic, however, led to increased antibiotic prescription rates. A new study from Read more

‘Oral health comes first’ – identifying mouth cancer in practice

With Mouth Cancer Action Month kicking off this month, the awareness campaign serves as a timely reminder to our patients of the risks, signs and symptoms of oral disease. Read more

Periodontal health linked to heart attacks

A study of 2,370 patients from the University of Michigan has found a link between heart attacks and periodontal health. Read more

Obesity increases risk of tooth loss, study shows

There is a clear link between obesity and tooth loss, a study involving more than 200,000 people has shown. Read more

The UK’s oral health needs levelling up

Balika Reddy, Dentist at Harley Street Specialist Hospital, argues that the UK’s oral health is a postcode lottery and is in dire need of levelling up Read more