NHS dentists are treating fewer new patients than before a £200 million funding boost intended to expand access.
The dental recovery plan, launched in February, offered “golden hello” payments of £20,000 to dentists willing to work in underserved areas, alongside bonuses of up to £50 for treating patients who had not been seen in the previous two years.
However, a National Audit Office (NAO) report published Wednesday revealed that only one dentist has received a golden hello. The number of new patients treated since March has fallen compared with the same period last year.
The watchdog warned that the plan, introduced by the previous government, is unlikely to achieve its target of 1.5 million additional treatments by the end of 2024-25. Even if the goal is met, NHS dental activity would remain 2.6 million treatments short of pre-pandemic levels.
NAO analysis of NHS England data showed about 220,000 fewer courses of treatment were provided to new NHS patients between March and September this year than in the same months last year. The average number of daily treatments was lower in every month this year compared with 2024.
Health officials are reviewing the plan’s measures, which also included mobile dental vans—none of which have been purchased, the report said.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, described NHS dentistry as “in a state of crisis,” highlighting difficulties in rural areas. He added that slow rollout of dental vans and golden hello bonuses has left the recovery plan unlikely to meet its targets.
Shawn Charlwood, chair of the British Dental Association’s (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee, criticised the plan as “unfunded” and “unambitious,” saying it failed to address a crisis affecting millions. Louise Ansari, chief executive of Healthwatch England, warned that disadvantaged patients are most affected, as they struggle to pay for private care.
The report coincides with calls from the BDA for the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry to examine the pandemic’s impact on dental services. The union said dentistry experienced a “collapse in capacity seen nowhere else” and has yet to recover to pre-pandemic activity.
Eddie Crouch, BDA chair, noted that dentistry was hit harder than any other part of the health service during the pandemic and has seen a limited recovery, stressing that lessons must be learned to prevent further damage.
An NHS England spokesperson said the service is “determined to improve access” and will work with the government to reform dental contracts. Labour has pledged to provide 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments a year and to reform the “not fit for purpose” contract, with Health Secretary Wes Streeting promising to rebuild services.