New figures published on Thursday 27 August 20206 show that 28.2 million adults in England have not accessed NHS dental care in the last two years, as the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England warns that access to NHS dentistry remains a major challenge.
New NHS Business Services Authority data show that 18.8 million were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months to March 2026, equivalent to just 40% of the adult population. This means that 28.2 million adults, or three in five adults, did not see an NHS dentist during that period.
For children, 7.17 million were seen by an NHS dentist in the 12 months to March 2026, equivalent to 60% of the child population in England. While this represents an increase on the previous year, four in ten children did not see an NHS dentist.
The data show that NHS dental activity continued to recover in 2025/26, with 37.6 million courses of treatment delivered, a 6.2% increase on the previous year. The NHS dental workforce also increased, with 25,419 dentists carrying out NHS activity in England, 3.1% more than in 2024/25.
The figures also reveal significant geographical inequalities in access. NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) recorded the highest level of access, with 56% of adults and 67% of children seen by an NHS dentist. By contrast, NHS Somerset ICB had the lowest levels of access, with just 23% of adults and 41% of children seen. These stark differences demonstrate that access to NHS dentistry still depends on where patients live, with dental deserts persisting in parts of England.
Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said: “It is encouraging to see more people accessing NHS dental care than in previous years, along with increases in both NHS dental activity and workforce numbers.
“However, the reality is that around three in five adults in England have not seen an NHS dentist in the last two years, while four in ten children were not seen in the last year.
“The data also reveal stark variation across the country, meaning patients’ ability to receive care continues to depend in a large part on where they live.
“The government has made clear its ambition to improve access to NHS dentistry. To achieve this, it must prioritise meaningful reform of the dental contract, alongside measures that support prevention, improve access for patients and help recruit and retain the dental workforce.
