Dental Patients to Benefit from 700K Extra Urgent Appointments

Key Takeaways:

• 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments to be rolled out across England starting April 2025.
• Focus on “dental deserts” where access to NHS dentists is particularly limited.
• Government scrapping the ineffective new patient premium and introducing a supervised toothbrushing scheme for children.
• Efforts include recruiting dentists in underserved areas and reforming the NHS dental contract.

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Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry

Hundreds of thousands of people in England are set to benefit from improved access to urgent and emergency dental care, as the government and NHS roll out 700,000 extra appointments. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock announced the initiative on 21 February 2025, fulfilling a key manifesto commitment to tackle the growing crisis in NHS dentistry.

The measure aims to alleviate the strain faced by patients in so-called “dental deserts,” areas where accessing NHS dentistry has become increasingly difficult. For instance, parts of the east of England, such as Norfolk and Waveney, have just 31 NHS dentists per 100,000 people—far below the national average.

Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, stated:
“We promised we would end the misery faced by hundreds of thousands of people unable to get urgent dental care. Today we’re starting to deliver on that commitment.”

This announcement comes amid mounting evidence of widespread challenges in accessing NHS dental services. Data from the GP Patient Survey 2024 revealed that one in four patients attempting to see an NHS dentist in the past two years were unsuccessful. In some cases, this has led to chaotic scenes, such as those witnessed at St Paul’s Dental Practice in Bristol, where police had to manage queues of desperate patients seeking care.

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Scrapping Ineffective Measures and Targeting Unmet Need

Previous attempts to address the crisis, including the introduction of the new patient premium as part of a 2024 dental recovery plan, have fallen short. The £88 million initiative failed to improve patient access, with recent data showing a 3% decline in new patients accessing NHS dentists since its implementation.

In response, the government has scrapped the premium and is instead focusing on targeted interventions. Each integrated care board (ICB) will receive specific targets for rolling out urgent appointments based on local levels of unmet need. These needs are assessed using metrics such as the number of people who tried and failed to secure an NHS dentist appointment.

Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, commented:
“Dentists are working hard to help as many patients as possible but too many people experience difficulties in accessing NHS dental services. It is vital that we do more to improve access.”

The additional appointments will cater to patients in significant pain, such as those suffering from infections or requiring urgent repairs. Patients can access these services through their regular dental practice or by contacting NHS 111 if they lack a regular dentist or require out-of-hours assistance.

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A Broader Strategy for Reform

The rollout of extra appointments marks the beginning of a broader effort to reform NHS dentistry. The government plans to shift focus toward prevention, retention of NHS dentists, and revising the NHS dental contract to make it more appealing for practitioners.

A key component of this strategy is addressing regional inequalities in oral health. Recent data highlights stark disparities, with areas of high deprivation experiencing tooth decay rates more than double those of wealthier regions. For example, nearly one-third of children in Merseyside show signs of decay, compared to just 13.6% in Gloucestershire.

To combat this, the government will introduce a supervised toothbrushing scheme for children aged 3 to 5 in deprived areas. This initiative will provide guidance, toothbrushes, and toothpaste in school settings, aiming to reduce early childhood tooth decay—the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged 5 to 9.

Additionally, the government is incentivizing dentists to work in underserved areas through a £20,000 “golden hello” bonus. While progress has been slow, with only 68 of the targeted 240 roles filled as of July, further recruitment efforts are underway.

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Challenges and Calls for Sustained Action

Despite these measures, experts warn that addressing the nation’s oral health crisis will require sustained effort. Jacob Lant, Chief Executive of National Voices, noted:
“NHS dentistry has been left in a sorry state, with far too many people experiencing pain and discomfort because they can’t access basic care. These extra urgent appointments will be welcome and are a helpful first step, but fixing the nation’s oral health crisis will require a sustained effort.”

Lant emphasized the importance of creative solutions from local NHS leaders to ensure capacity reaches those most in need, including vulnerable groups like cancer and transplant patients requiring pre-treatment dental check-ups.

While the rollout of 700,000 extra appointments represents a significant step forward, it underscores the scale of the challenge facing NHS dentistry. As the government works to rebuild the system, the focus remains on delivering equitable access and improving long-term oral health outcomes for all.