Last summer I sent my NHS Health Survey to homes across Mid Dorset and North Poole. More than 2,000 people replied, sharing concerns about GP appointments, ambulances and cancelled treatment. But one issue came up again and again: the lack of NHS dentists.
I recently met with a senior NHS dentist working in my constituency and was told there has not been a new NHS dental contract offered in Dorset for ten years.
The result is simple. As dentists leave the NHS, too few are coming in behind them. Last year Dorset had 44 fewer NHS dentists than it did in 2020. That means fewer appointments, longer waits and more people unable to register with an NHS practice. There are not necessarily fewer dentists – many have stopped doing NHS work because it doesn’t add up financially.
Dentists are paid for each Unit of Dental Activity (UDA). While the cost of running practices has increased, these payments have failed to keep pace. For the same treatment, a dentist earns more from a private patient than an NHS one. Given the cost of training and investment in their practice, it is not hard to see why many choose to leave the NHS. The Government has recognised some of these problems and made limited improvements.
Urgent dental appointments can be accessed through NHS111, allowing people with severe pain, infections or broken teeth to receive treatment even if without a regular NHS dentist. However, few people know this service exists, and I have challenged NHS Dorset to better promote it and will continue pressing for better public awareness.
The Government also announced changes to help patients with more complex dental needs, and from next year trainee dentists will have to spend at least three years after qualifying working in the NHS. While that will help, it fails to address the reasons experienced dentists are leaving. There are also wider issues. As new housing developments are built, there is no requirement for extra NHS dental provision. And when an NHS dentist has spaces, there is no priority for local people to access those extra spaces.
While I want to see a fully restored NHS dental service, I am especially passionate about improving children’s oral health. More than five million children did not see a dentist in 2025, and tooth extraction remains the most common reason for hospital admission among children aged five to nine.
Liberal Democrats have called for dental check-ups to be available for every child, emergency appointments for those in urgent need and reform of the NHS dental contract so that NHS work becomes financially viable again. We cannot solve the crisis unless we tackle the reasons dentists are leaving the NHS in the first place.
Locally, I have raised concerns in Parliament about the current contract, challenged NHS Dorset over underspends and pressed ministers on the impact that a decade without new NHS dental contracts has had on Dorset. The Government has promised fundamental reform of the dental contract during this Parliament. I will continue pushing NHS Dorset to ensure that people across Mid Dorset and North Poole can access the NHS dental care they need. In the meantime, anyone who needs urgent dental treatment should call 111 and seek help as soon as possible.
