Patients across England are set to benefit from expanded access to dental care after the NHS delivered 1.8 million additional courses of treatment in the first seven months of 2025–26, compared with the same period prior to the last general election.
The government announced plans to widen eligibility for dental appointments, responding to concerns that the current definition of “urgent” care is too restrictive. Although ministers had promised 700,000 extra urgent appointments, Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) have already commissioned nearly one million.
England’s Chief Dental Officer, Jason Wong, noted that limiting access to strictly clinically urgent cases excluded many patients with serious oral health issues. Under current rules, conditions such as tooth decay or rotting teeth do not automatically qualify as urgent, leaving patients unable to secure timely care.
Rising reports of patients attempting DIY dentistry have added pressure for reform. Health Minister Stephen Kinnock described these cases as “totally unacceptable” and said the expansion of access would correct an “absurd situation.”
From Friday, 20 February, NHS targets will broaden to cover all dental appointments, rather than only those meeting narrow urgent criteria. Ministers anticipate that this move, combined with planned contract reforms, will provide millions more appointments this year, prioritising children and patients with high dental needs.
Since April, all ICBs have been required to provide accessible urgent care. Under the new measures, they will have greater flexibility to meet local demand. Starting April 2026, high street dentists will also be required to offer a minimum number of urgent or unscheduled appointments, including for new patients.
The reforms are part of a wider strategy to strengthen prevention. A national supervised toothbrushing programme will support up to 600,000 children aged three to five this year. More than four million toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste have already been distributed, alongside the ongoing expansion of community water fluoridation schemes.
Neil Carmichael, Executive Chair of the Association of Dental Groups, welcomed the clarification of urgent care rules but urged rapid local implementation, noting that workforce shortages remain a significant barrier.
Shiv Pabary, Chair of the General Dental Practice Committee at the British Dental Association, said the increase in activity reflects dentists’ dedication but cautioned that millions still lack access. He called for sustained funding and meaningful contract reform to secure the long-term future of NHS dentistry.
Ministers described the measures as the first step in a broader recovery plan after years of decline, shifting dental services’ focus from treatment to prevention while improving access for patients most in need.