The inability to access NHS dental services is alarming. The rise of self-service dentistry and dental-deprived areas across the UK has become a key public and political concern in recent years. The UK faces a growing number of dentists who are unwilling to provide services covered by the National Health Service (NHS). This will exacerbate the crisis in access to dentists. British dentists increasingly refuse to work on the NHS because their fees for many procedures do not cover the costs. This article examines the UK dentistry crisis in 2024. It will also investigate the reasons for the decline in NHS dental services.
NHS dental services falling
NHS figures show that the total amount spent on dental care in England has increased from £5.6 billion in 2005-2006 to £10.2 billion in 2022-23. Meanwhile, the proportion of NHS work shrank from half to barely a third. The share of private care has also increased to almost two-thirds. Even before the pandemic, only half of adults received dental care every two years on the NHS; now, that number is much lower. The NHS was aiming to become a universal service. Despite this aim, most people do not have access to essential services, even when it comes to dentistry. These problems have led to the UK dentistry crisis in 2024.
Dental prices are out of line with rising costs.
The British Dental Association (BDA) says NHS payments have not kept pace with rising costs. The disparity in payments and expenses has forced dental clinics in the UK to act like charities when providing services. The UK dentistry crisis in 2024 was particularly severe. Dentists spent around £332 million of their private practice income to cover the cost of NHS services. Austerity policies have led to a rise in private income. The Treasury could have prevented the growing exodus of dentists from the NHS, but instead, it has accelerated it. The UK dentistry crisis in 2024 was significant and continues to be. Without a substantial increase in government funding for NHS dentistry in this autumn’s spending review, the ability to provide dental services will gradually disappear.
Dentists’ losses from providing dental services
According to the BDA analysis, dentists lose £42.60 for every denture they make. They also lose £7.69 for every dental health check they take on new patients. Similarly, a dental clinic loses £40.60 when performing dental surgery involving bone removal and £21 for root canals and crowns. Mark Dayan, policy analyst and head of public affairs at the Nuffield Trust said: “Dentists will not necessarily lose money on NHS work. But it is a real problem that they are often asked to make a financial sacrifice to see a health service patient instead of a private one.” Recent data shows fewer dentists provide NHS-related medical services than before the pandemic. Dayan said the NHS was failing in its legal duty to provide dental care that is accessible to all.
The UK dentistry crisis in 2024 is widespread.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has warned MPs that “NHS dentistry is at death’s door.” He has promised to take action to save it from extinction. The BDA has submitted a dossier of evidence to the Commons Public Accounts Committee ahead of a hearing by NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard and England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, into the growing decline in NHS dental services. The Nuffield Trust warned in a report in 2023 that NHS dentistry would be “gone for good” without bold action.
NHS dental improvement plans fail
The figures on the poor state of NHS dental services come as it emerged that the Dental recovery plan, first introduced by the Conservative government in February last year, had failed to deliver additional NHS appointments. England’s chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said the government could not provide the promised 1.5 million extra dental treatments. Overall, the plan has failed, with the new NHS patient bonus promised to dentists resulting in no additional NHS appointments.
NHS dental services failing to improve under Starmer
Starmer’s government promised to tackle the UK’s dentistry crisis in 2024. The government’s health secretary has pledged to overhaul the NHS dental contract. He has also pledged to provide 700,000 extra NHS appointments and publish a dental improvement plan. However, the BDA has pointed out that there has been no progress in the English dental system since Labour came to power last year. A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “This government inherited a situation where NHS dentistry is broken after years of neglect. We are committed to rebuilding it, but it will take time.”
NHS dental services continue to suffer
The UK dentistry crisis in 2024 was severe, and evidence suggests it is ongoing. Millions of people in the UK cannot get an appointment with the National Health Service. Some are pulling their teeth. Many adults have long been trying to get an appointment with a dentist but cannot do so due to the high number of applicants and the shortage of dentists in the NHS. They also do not have the money to go to private dentists. Britain, which previously faced problems in providing public dental services to patients due to the reluctance of dentists to sign contracts with the NHS, is now struggling with additional issues after Brexit and losing access to European dentists. If the Starmer government does not resolve the crisis in the British dental system, the situation will get significantly worse in the coming months.
