Responding to new analysis from the Nuffield Trust showing a continued decline in the number of dental practices providing NHS care, Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) said:
“We have consistently called for fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract, and the Nuffield Trust’s analysis reinforces the need to move beyond incremental changes. We need a sustainable NHS dental service that improves access for patients and puts prevention at the centre.
“While the changes already introduced to the contract are welcome, they must be part of wider reform that addresses the factors driving practices and clinicians away from NHS dentistry. The Government should now deliver the next phase of its promised dental contract reforms and set out a clear route to sustainable NHS dentistry and improved access for patients.
“Regular NHS dental care helps prevent disease and identify problems early. When patients cannot access care, conditions can become more serious and require more complex treatment, placing additional pressure on already stretched hospital services and patients facing longer waits for the care they need.”
