A recent report from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has sharply criticised the government’s 2024 plan to improve access to NHS dental services, calling it a “complete failure.”
Despite promising reforms, millions of patients continue to struggle to receive dental care, leaving many unable to afford private treatment or even resorting to dangerous DIY solutions. According to MPs, the government’s approach has only exacerbated the crisis.
The Failed Initiatives of the Government’s Dental Recovery Plan
The dental recovery plan, introduced by the Conservative government in February 2024, aimed to ease the strain on NHS services by funding additional treatments and offering incentives to recruit more dentists.
This included the introduction of a new patient premium (NPP), which offered credits to dental practices for each new patient seen, as well as a “golden hello” scheme, which promised £20,000 payments to attract dentists to the NHS.
Mobile dental vans were also deployed to target underserved communities. However, according to the PAC, these efforts have largely failed.
The NPP scheme, which has cost taxpayers at least £88 million since its inception, has resulted in fewer patients being seen by NHS dentists. The report found that new patient numbers had actually decreased by 3% since the initiative’s launch.
Moreover, the “golden hello” scheme has been underwhelming, with fewer than 20% of the expected number of 240 dentists recruited by February 2025. Mobile dental vans, which were part of the plan to reach remote areas, have already been discontinued.
Continuing Challenges for NHS Dentists and Patients
While the government’s efforts to increase access to NHS dental care have faltered, the underlying issues continue to worsen. According to the PAC, current funding and contractual arrangements are only sufficient to cover about half of England’s population over a two-year period.
This is a significant decline from the period before the Covid-19 pandemic when 49% of adults received care, compared to just 40% in the two years leading up to March 2024.
The issue of dentist remuneration remains a critical challenge. The report highlighted a significant discrepancy between what NHS dentists earn compared to their private-sector counterparts, which is driving many professionals to leave the NHS in favour of more lucrative private practices.
As of April 2023, there were 34,520 registered dentists in England, with 24,193 providing NHS services. Without a significant increase in NHS pay, experts warn that this number is likely to decline further.
Shiv Pabary, chair of the British Dental Association’s General Dental Practice Committee, stated: “MPs have arrived at an inescapable conclusion, that tweaks at the margins have not and will not save NHS dentistry.”
