Unmet need for NHS dentistry remains at an all-time high of almost 14m – well over 1 in 4 of England’s adult population. British Dental Association analysis of the recently published GP Survey by Ipsos shows levels of unmet need remain effectively unchanged on last year at around 13.8m.
5.7m adult patients tried and failed to secure NHS care in the last 2 years – a fall of 700,000 on last year’s figures, but with a corresponding surge in the number of people who have effectively given up trying, with the number of people not even attempting to make appointments as they didn’t think they could secure care up by over half a million to 5.9m.
The costs of care pushed 1.3 million away, and 880,000 indicated they were on waiting lists, all up on last year’s figures.
Prior to Covid, levels of unmet high hovered consistently at around 1 in 10 of the adult population.
The professional body stress the lack of improvement underlines the ineffectiveness of the last Government’s widely discredited ‘Recovery Plan’ for NHS dentistry, and shows why bold and ambitious action is now required from the current administration.
In evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee this week, the Minister for Care Stephen Kinnock pledged to deliver fundamental reform of the failed NHS contract in this Parliament, but warned we should assume there would be no increase in the service’s budget, which has been cut by over a third in real terms since 2010.
Typical practices are now delivering a wide range of NHS care at a financial loss, estimated at over £40 for a set of dentures, and over £7 on a new patient exam. The BDA cannot see how these extreme levels of unmet need can ever be met within a standstill budget.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: “We’ll never make the shift from sickness to prevention when millions have given up even trying to access care. Our patients continue to face an historic crisis, that requires a proportionate response from government. Ministers agree that NHS dentistry is at death’s door. But they don’t appear ready yet to invest in the rebuild. It will take both urgency and ambition to save NHS dentistry.”
Analysis of the GP Survey 2025 by Ipsos by the BDA
Data extrapolated to adult population (16+) using most recent ONS mid-year figures available at time of publication.
