New government reforms to NHS dentistry have been announced, aiming to tackle what Health Minister Stephen Kinnock MP has called a “broken system.” The measures come as a new NHS-commissioned survey reveals that millions are unable to access an NHS dentist.
Of those who tried to secure an NHS appointment, 84.4% were unsuccessful. The survey also highlighted patients from deprived communities are almost three times more likely to have no dentist (20.8% vs 7.5%) and men and young adults aged 25–44 are the most at risk of not being registered with an NHS dentist.
On 8 July 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care launched a six-week consultation on NHS dental contract reform. Key proposals include
- Delivering 700,000 additional urgent dental appointments every year.
- A minimum 3-year NHS service requirement for newly qualified dentists, to boost appointments.
- A new treatment pathway for patients with severe gum disease or multiple tooth decay issues.
Sheffield practice warns the dental care crisis will result in emergency hospital appointments as South Yorkshire is one of the areas hit hardest, with more than 1 in 10 adults (11.4%) in South Yorkshire not registered with an NHS dentist. Additionally, the survey found 28.2% of patients were forced to use private dentists because NHS appointments weren’t available.
Chetan Mistry, Founder of Sheffield-based Mola Dental, told us:
“Far too many adults are going without vital routine care. Untreated dental problems can quickly escalate into pain, infection, and costly emergencies.”
