The NHS Dentistry recovery plan

Today the government is publishing an NHS Dental Recovery Plan, delivering an extra 2.5 million appointments over the next year so everyone can receive the dental treatment they deserve, quickly and easily. 

Dentistry is an essential part of NHS healthcare and everyone should be able to see an NHS dentist and receive treatment quickly and easily when they need to. 

• That is why the government is announcing the NHS Dental Recovery Plan, backed by £200 million, which includes measures such as ‘new patient’ payments for NHS dentists to treat adults and children who have not seen a dentist in over two years and incentivising NHS dentists to work in underserved areas.

• Meanwhile, Labour-run Wales has the worst access to dentistry in the UK – showing what happens when you come into government without a plan. Labour proposals in England – which include ordering teachers to supervise toothbrushing in schools – would deliver barely a third of the appointments we have promised. 

• Only Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives have a plan which will actually improve access to dentistry so that everyone can access the treatment they need, when they need it.