Major new dentistry plan vows to ‘end the postcode lottery’ for treatment
Dentists across England will receive increased payments for providing emergency patient treatment under new government reforms designed to increase access to care.
The changes, published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) following extensive consultation, are expected to benefit millions of patients.
The reforms aim to encourage dentists to offer more urgent appointments for critical problems such as severe pain, infection or dental trauma.
Additionally, patients requiring complex care, including advanced gum disease or multiple decaying teeth treatments, will now be able to book a single, comprehensive treatment package rather than enduring several separate visits.
This streamlined approach could save patients around £225, according to the DHSC.
These government initiatives dovetail with a separate proposal from the Policy Exchange think tank that proposes introducing a £150 annual dental voucher.
The initiative, backed by former health secretary Sir Sajid Javid, is being touted as a way to “end the postcode lottery” in dental care, potentially helping to “save NHS dentistry” and “fix our national smile”.
Shiv Pabary, chairman of the British Dental Association’s (BDA) general dentistry practice committee, said the announced changes were “the biggest he has seen in the history of this failed contract”.
“We hope the changes will make things easier for practices and patients during this time, but this cannot be the end of the road,” he added.
“We need a response commensurate with the challenges we face to ensure a sustainable future for NHS dentistry.”
The latest changes form part of the Government’s wider plan for NHS dentistry, which includes more urgent appointments and supervised tooth brushing for children aged three to five.
Gareth Lyon, head of health and social care at Policy Exchange, said NHS dentistry was in a “truly shocking state”.
“The majority of people, including millions of children, do not receive NHS dental support,” he added.
Policy Exchange suggests a universal £150 voucher could be used for dental insurance or a capitation scheme, with the monthly fee spent on regular maintenance such as check-ups and hygiene appointments.
People may also have the option of taking their voucher for non-cosmetic treatments to any professional registered with the General Dental Council.
The report said all registered dentists must accept the voucher and must also accept children as patients at the NHS’s current dental rates.
Policy Exchange claims that 18 million adults and 6.6 million children in England visited an NHS dentist in the two years to March 2024, equivalent to 40 per cent of adults and 57 per cent of children.
Mr Lyon added: “The consequences are felt not only in poor dental health and avoidable pain and suffering for patients, but also in much higher costs to the healthcare system as dental problems are diagnosed late or not at all and require extensive and expensive hospital treatment.
“We also miss out on early detection of cancers and other health problems that dentists can help detect.
“We propose to abolish the postcode lottery, where a lucky few get treatment support, open up our entire dental system to everyone, get patients under control, end underpricing and subsidy systems, and encourage early treatment and diagnosis.
“It’s time for radical action to save NHS dentistry and fix our national smile.”
The BDA rejected the Policy Exchange proposal, with chairman Eddie Crouch saying it came with “the sound of barrels scraping”.
“The NHS urgently needs investment, but this policy will not end dental deserts. It could easily mean spending more money on less access,” he said.
“A struggling service urgently needs real reforms and sustainable funding. We don’t need distractions or veering into ideological comfort zones.”
Last week figures revealed levels of tooth decay among adults in England were similar to those seen in the late 1990s.
The latest Adult Oral Health Survey has revealed the first picture of oral health in England for over a decade.
During the examination, four in 10 people (41 percent) were found to have obvious signs of tooth decay; this rate was similar to 1998 levels, down from 28 percent in 2009.
Using the most sensitive measure of tooth decay (which also assesses enamel decay), almost two-thirds (64 percent) had decay in one or more teeth.
Elsewhere, official data published earlier this year shows that as many as six in 10 children in some areas have tooth decay by the age of five.
