Fixing NHS Dentistry – Public Accounts Committee inquiry publications
In a report on fixing NHS dentistry, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) warns that there is no future for NHS dentistry without action from Government to go further in supporting the dental workforce.
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Fixing NHS Dentistry
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Two-fifths of the adult population in England saw an NHS dentist in the 24 months up to March 2024 – this is down from just under half of the adult population pre-pandemic. There were 483 fewer dentists providing some NHS care in England in 2023-24 compared with 2019-20. The previous Government published its
Dental Recovery Plan
in February 2024. This aimed to increase access to NHS dentistry services, aspiring to deliver more than 1.5m additional courses of treatment, or 2.5m appointments total, in 2024-25.
The Health and Social Care Committee launched an
inquiry
into NHS dentistry in 2022, following a survey that showed 90% of practices across the UK were not accepting new adult NHS patients. Its 2023
report
called for a Fundamental reform of NHS dentistry to end a ‘crisis of access’. The Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) 2019
report
into penalty charge notices in healthcare found that the rules for claiming free prescriptions and dental treatment were confusing and needed to be changed.
The National Audit Office published its own report conclusions from its investigation into the Dental Recovery Plan
in November 2024
. It found that the plan was unlikely to deliver its target of 1.5m additional treatments, and that even if the target was reached, it would still be 2.6m fewer treatments per year than pre-pandemic levels. It further highlighted a £392m underspend in 2023-24 across the NHS dental budget.
Based on the NAO report, the PAC will hear from senior Government officials on delivery of better access to NHS dentistry and progress on the plan, with likely topics including:
The dental contract;
Falls in the number of dentists;
The current picture on Government spending to support access to NHS dentistry.
The Committee is unable to help with individual cases. If you need help with an individual problem you are having, you may wish to read the
information on Parliament’s website about who you can contact with different issues
.
Please look at the requirements for written evidence submissions and note that the Committee cannot accept material as evidence that is published elsewhere.
If you have evidence on this issue, please submit it here by 23:59 on Thursday 30 January.
This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence
The deadline for submissions was
11:59pm on 30 January 2025
.
Events
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Reports, special reports and government responses
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21st Report - Fixing NHS Dentistry
Inquiry
Fixing NHS Dentistry
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Published 4 April 2025
HC 648
Report
Response to this report
Treasury minutesGovernment response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-first report from Session 2024-26
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Published 18 September 2025
HC 648
Government Response
Response to this report
Treasury minutesGovernment response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-first report from Session 2024-25
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Published 10 July 2025
HC 648
Government Response
Correspondence
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Letter from the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England relating to Recommendation 2a of the Committee’s Twenty-first Report on Fixing NHS Dentistry, 30 December 2025
Inquiry
Fixing NHS Dentistry
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Published 8 January 2026
Correspondence
Letter from the National Director for Primary Care and Community Services at NHS England relating to the Committee’s Twenty-first Report on Fixing NHS Dentistry, 26 November 2025
Inquiry
Fixing NHS Dentistry
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Published 1 December 2025
Correspondence
Letter from the Interim Permanent Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Care and the Chief Executive Officer at NHS England relating to a follow up on the oral evidence session held on 13 February 2025 on Fixing NHS Dentistry, providing updates on “Golden Hellos, Rebasing contracts and contract reform, 18 March 2025
Inquiry
Fixing NHS Dentistry
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Published 27 March 2025
Correspondence
Oral evidence transcripts
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13 February 2025
Inquiry
Fixing NHS Dentistry
Witnesses
Department of Health and Social Care, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, Jason Wong MBE (Chief Dental Officer England at NHS England & DHSC), and Ali Sparke (Director for Pharmacy, Optometry, Dentistry at NHS England)
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Published 19 February 2025
Oral Evidence
Written evidence
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Association of Dental Hospitals
(FND0001)
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Published 13 February 2025
The Association of Dental Groups
(FND0002)
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Published 13 February 2025
Dental Schools Council
(FND0003)
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Published 13 February 2025
Other publications
Government Responses
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2 published
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