Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 11
11
Accepted
Paragraph: 67
NHS dentist headcount does not reflect actual NHS work or address access issues
Conclusion
The Government states that the number of NHS dentists has increased over the past year. However, while the headcount has gone up over the past year, it has gone down over the past three years, and moreover headcount alone does not reflect how much NHS work these dentists are undertaking. We heard repeatedly that a lack of dentists and dental care professionals undertaking NHS work is the main driver behind both lack of access to appointments for patients, and the underspend in primary care dentistry.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the importance of efficient processing for overseas dentists, confirming they are working with the GDC to clear the registration backlog. They highlight specific GDC actions to triple ORE Part 1 capacity and increase Part 2 sittings to address demand.
Paragraph Reference:
67
Government Response
The government responded to this report on 13 December 2023. No passage in that response could be matched to this conclusion. Read the response document ↗