Policy Threads

Dentistry in England

This thread tracks the policy, regulatory and contractual reform of NHS dentistry in England — covering the dental contract reform programme, annual patient-charge uplifts under the NHS Act 2006, CQC regulation of dental providers under the 2008 Regulated Activities regime, and parliamentary scrutiny of access and workforce.

21 Apr 2026 | Written question Department of Health and Social Care linked direct

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address oral health inequalities among adults who cannot access NHS dental care.

Why linked: Written PQ on oral health inequalities among adults unable to access NHS dental care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to address oral health inequalities among adults who cannot access NHS dental care.

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27 Feb 2025 | Written question Department of Health and Social Care linked direct

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of low NHS dental access in South Basildon and East Thurrock on levels of pressure on urgent care services.

Why linked: Written PQ on low NHS dental access in South Basildon and East Thurrock and pressure on urgent care — direct access scrutiny.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of low NHS dental access in South Basildon and East Thurrock on levels of pressure on urgent care services.

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9 May 2024 | Written question Department of Health and Social Care linked direct

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of children unable to access NHS dentistry in England; and whether she has set a target date by which all children in England will be able to access an NHS

Why linked: Written PQ on children unable to access NHS dentistry in England — access scrutiny.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of children unable to access NHS dentistry in England; and whether she has set a target date by which all children …

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29 Sep 2022 | Written question Department of Health and Social Care linked direct

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of whole time equivalent dentists providing NHS dentistry in England by Parliamentary constituency.

Why linked: Written PQ on whole-time-equivalent dentists providing NHS dentistry in England by constituency — workforce-data scrutiny.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate she has made of the number of whole time equivalent dentists providing NHS dentistry in England by Parliamentary constituency.

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