NHS dentistry

Health and Social Care Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 7 Dec 2022 Closed: 30 May 2024 Parliament page
The Health and Social Care Committee has launched an inquiry into dentistry following a survey that showed 90% of practices across the UK were not accepting new adult NHS patients. MPs will consider to what extent the current NHS dental contract disincentivises dentists from taking on new patients. They will … Read more
15 Recommendations
11 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
3 Letters
3 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
22 May
2024
Correspondence
19 Mar
2024
Oral evidence
19 Mar
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House
13 Dec
2023
Report published
18 Oct
2023
Correspondence
18 Oct
2023
Correspondence
14 Jul
2023
Report published
25 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
25 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
21 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
21 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
19 Mar 2024
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Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · NHS England Jason Wong MBE · NHS England Rebecca Curtayne · Healthwatch England Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP · Department of Health and Social Care Shawn Charlwood · British Dental Association (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee Thea Stein · Nuffield Trust
25 Apr 2023
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Chris McCann · Healthwatch England Dr Amanda Doyle · NHS England Jo York · Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board Neil O'Brien MP · Department of Health and Social Care Sarah Fletcher · Healthwatch Lincolnshire Sara Hurley · NHS England
21 Mar 2023
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Dr Abhi Pal · College of General Dentisty Dr Sandra White · Association of Dental Groups Ian Brack · General Dental Council Malcolm Smith · Health Education England North East Professor Nick Barker · University of Essex Shawn Charlwood · British Dental Association (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry HC 964 14 Jul 2023 26 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
13 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
NHS dentistry faces a crisis of unequal access across different regions and groups.
We believe there is a crisis of access in NHS dentistry. Many people are unable to access an NHS dentist or are travelling significant distances to get to one. Access varies across the country and is being experienced unequally by … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and outlined several reforms announced in July 2022, including allowing high-performing practices to take more patients, fairer payment for complex care, and requiring NHS dentists to update their availability online. It also states a forthcoming Dentistry Recovery Plan will continue efforts to improve patient access.
Department of Health and Social Care
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2 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Require Government to outline timeline and strategy for universal NHS dental access
We welcome the Government’s ambition for everyone who needs an NHS dentist to be able to access one. This ambition must ensure access within a reasonable timeframe and a reasonable distance. The Government must set out how they intend to … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation and highlights existing measures, such as NHS England's Patient and Public Voice group to improve patient understanding and the contractual requirement for dental practices to quarterly update their NHS website profiles. It also notes additional measures by NHS England to monitor and improve compliance with website updates.
Department of Health and Social Care
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3 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Roll-out patient information campaign to clarify NHS dental services and entitlements
A lack of public awareness about NHS dental services and how practices operate is contributing to access issues. The Government and NHS England should roll-out a patient information campaign with the aim of improving awareness of how NHS dentistry will … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, clarifying that there is no formal patient registration system. It supports adherence to NICE recall guidelines and details existing measures from 2022 reforms for practices to provide urgent dental care and use risk-based recalls, with NHS England monitoring compliance and sharing data with ICBs.
Department of Health and Social Care
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9 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Patient registration under capitation-based contract will improve dental access
We believe patient registration under a reformed capitation-based contract will better enable those patients who currently can’t access a dentist to be able to do so.
Government Response
The government partially accepts, detailing existing and planned measures like a 5.13% uplift to NHS dental contracts and guidance for Integrated Care Boards on 'Flexible Commissioning' for local initiatives. They are also exploring tie-ins for new dentists and developing a career pathway including apprenticeships through the Advancing Dental Care review.
Department of Health and Social Care
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11 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
NHS dentist headcount does not reflect actual NHS work or address access issues
The Government states that the number of NHS dentists has increased over the past year. However, while the headcount has gone up over the past year, it has gone down over the past three years, and moreover headcount alone does … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the importance of efficient processing for overseas dentists, confirming they are working with the GDC to clear the registration backlog. They highlight specific GDC actions to triple ORE Part 1 capacity and increase Part 2 sittings to address demand.
Department of Health and Social Care
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12 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Commission a comprehensive dental workforce survey on NHS staffing and activity levels.
The Government and NHS England should commission a dental workforce survey to understand how many full-time and part-time-equivalent dentists, dental nurses, therapists and hygienists are working in the NHS, and how much NHS and private activity they are undertaking, alongside … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England introduced a new biannual dental workforce survey in October 2023, which will collect comprehensive data on the dental team and NHS activity, with initial data expected by early 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care
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13 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Improve routine data collection on NHS dental workforce numbers, activity, and demand.
The Government and NHS England must improve the routine data that is collected on the number of NHS dentists and the wider dental team, and the levels of NHS activity they undertake, as well as data on demand, to assist … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England introduced a new biannual dental workforce survey in October 2023 to improve data collection on the dental team and NHS activity, with initial data expected by early 2024. They also highlight existing monthly publications of NHS dental activity data.
Department of Health and Social Care
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15 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Ensure reformed dental contract fully utilises skills of the entire dental team.
The Government, NHS England and ICBs must ensure that the reformed contract ensures that full use is made of the skills of the whole dental team. (Paragraph 73) NHS dentistry 35
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, having already published guidance in July 2022 to facilitate dental therapists and hygienists opening treatment courses, and completed a consultation on changes to human medicines regulations to expand their scope of practice, with a response due shortly.
Department of Health and Social Care
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16 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Advancing Dental Care Review shows potential but immediate incentives needed for supply and demand.
We support the implementation of the work of the Advancing Dental Care Review. Centres for Dental Development could have the potential to change how we approach training dentists in the UK to meet the needs of the populations who most … Read more
Government Response
The government partially accepts, stating that Integrated Care Boards are responsible for undertaking oral health needs assessments to support commissioning priorities and are working towards having these assessments in place by July 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care
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17 Conclusion Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Unacceptable backlog of Overseas Registration Exam applications hinders NHS dentist numbers.
The backlog of applications for the Overseas Registration Exam is unacceptable and resolving this represents an opportunity in the short term to increase the number of dentists working in the NHS, and therefore create more appointments to enable patients to … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, detailing that it is working with the GDC to clear the backlog by tripling ORE Part 1 exam capacity and increasing Part 2 sittings for 2024. Additionally, it has streamlined processes for overseas-qualified dentists, including unilateral recognition of EEA qualifications and new regulations to reduce performers list application times.
Department of Health and Social Care
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18 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Work with GDC to clear Overseas Registration Exam backlog and speed up international registration.
The Government must work with the General Dental Council to ensure the backlog of applications for the Overseas Registration Exam is cleared in a timely manner, and to speed up changes to the process of international registration for new applicants … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, detailing GDC's increased ORE exam capacities from August 2023 and 2024, and listing specific measures already taken to streamline international registration processes for overseas-qualified dentists to work in the NHS.
Department of Health and Social Care
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23 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Provide evidence on the effectiveness of initiatives for commissioning local dental services to ICBs.
We welcome the initiatives outlined by the Chief Dental Officer to help ICBs commission dental services in a way that best meets the needs of their local populations. NHS 36 NHS dentistry England should provide evidence of the effectiveness of … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England published guidance in October 2023 with commissioning options for ICBs, and will release a further publication in 2024 providing practical examples of services and commissioning options to spread best practice.
Department of Health and Social Care
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24 Recommendation Accepted
Ninth Report - NHS dentistry
Provide clarity to ICBs on commissioning flexibilities for NHS dental services and resource targeting.
In light of the current national contracting arrangements, NHS England must provide clarity to ICBs about what flexibilities they have with regard to commissioning NHS dental services and targeting resources according to the needs of their populations. Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that NHS England published guidance in October 2023 to provide ICBs with clarity on commissioning flexibilities within the national dental contractual framework, and will issue further guidance with practical examples in 2024.
Department of Health and Social Care
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Government Response AI assessment · 26 of 15 classified
Accepted 13
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 2
Rejected 1
Total 15 recs + 11 conclusions
Correspondence 3 letters
22 May 2024 Parliamentary Under Secretary of Sate for Public Health on plans to recover and reform NHS Dentistry 10.05.24
Parliament page
18 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Chair to the Secretary of State, Steve Barclay MP, on the Department's response to the NHS Dentistry report 20.09.23
Parliament page
18 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of Sate for primary Care and Public Health,Neil O'Brien MP, regarding the Committee's dentistry report 26.09.23
Parliament page