Number of dentists in NHS hits a 10-year low
THE number of dentists treating NHS patients has fallen to the lowest level in a decade, official figures reveal.
Some 23,577 performed health service work in 2022/23 – down from 24,272 the previous year.
It is the lowest since 2012/13, when the figure was 23,201.
The data was released by the NHS Business Services Authority following a Freedom of Information Act request.
Rishi Sunak has previously pointed to stats for 2021/22 – which showed a rise of more than 500 dentists from the previous year – as evidence of services getting back on track.
However, the British Dental Association said the data showed the exodus was in fact accelerating.
It called for an urgent rescue package to halt the flow of staff turning to lucrative work in private practice.
Shawn Charlwood, BDA General Dental Practice Committee chair, said: “Government needs to drop the spin, accept the facts, and provide a rescue package to keep this service afloat.
“NHS dentistry is haemorrhaging talent, and further tweaks to a broken system will not stem the flow.”
The Government changed dentistry contracts last year to increase the amount of units of dental activity (UDA) allocated for some treatments and taking into account the time taken to treat high needs patients.
But the BDA said “minor tweaks” would not stabilise the service. The minimum UDA level of £23 rolled out in October was below the level required for most practices to cover costs or attract new dentists, it said.
It is urging ministers to make use of “underspends” in the dental budget to increase the payout for each UDA.
It estimated in February that funds returned by practices not hitting their contractual targets would likely exceed £400million this year.
Mr Charlwood said: “Ministers have a choice. They can help struggling practices fill vacancies and see patients, or pass by on the other side.”
A Health Department spokesperson said: “The BDA’s analysis may be based on incomplete data. We are working to improve access to NHS dental care and increased the funding for high needs patients to encourage more NHS treatments.”