By Teesside Family Dental Care
The Government has officially committed to overhauling NHS dentistry before the next general election – but questions remain about funding.
In a recent session with the Health and Social Care Committee, Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock confirmed that comprehensive contract reform must be completed within this Parliament. He admitted the dental system is “on a burning platform,” reinforcing warnings made earlier this year by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who described NHS dentistry as being at "death’s door."
The announcement follows the release of England’s 10-Year Health Plan, which set out a long-term vision for NHS dental services, aiming for full transformation by 2035. However, the British Dental Association (BDA) has cautioned that waiting another decade may be too long to prevent further decline in patient access and provider viability.
While the Department of Health has launched a consultation on interim changes to the dental contract, the BDA argues that deeper structural changes are urgently needed to make NHS dentistry sustainable and restore timely access to care.
The Minister confirmed that the formal reform process will begin after the government's funding allocations are finalised this summer. However, when pressed on financial investment, he indicated there would be no significant increase in the dental budget – a concern for many in the profession.
Dentistry in England has operated under a flat budget since 2010. According to the BDA, inflation and rising costs mean many NHS dental practices are now delivering treatments at a financial loss — for example, losing over £40 per set of NHS dentures and £7 per new patient exam.
MP Josh Fenton-Glynn highlighted the contradiction in the government’s position, remarking: “You’re saying it’s a burning platform, but we’ve only got buckets of water.”
The Department of Health is currently undertaking a review of treatment costs. But the BDA warns this review will be meaningless unless the funding gap is seriously addressed.
Dr Shiv Pabary, Chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, summed it up:
“We welcome the clear deadline, but what’s still missing is the commitment to fund the changes. Without proper investment, NHS dentistry will remain on life support.”