Recommendation 4

The dental recovery plan relied on centrally planned and imposed initiatives that ultimately failed to positively influence the amount of care delivered by dental practices. The dental recovery plan set out national initiatives that relied on take–up and delivery at a local level, hoping to influence the behaviour of individual dental practices. This approach ultimately failed, with the example of mobile dental vans particularly illustrative of a nationally–planned idea failing to address issues on the ground. Going beyond this national plan, it is imperative that regional disparities in access to NHS dentistry are resolved–access to NHS dentistry ranged from 382 courses of treatment delivered per 1,000 people in Somerset ICB to 800 delivered per 1,000 people in South Yorkshire ICB in 2023–24. NHSE and DHSC must support ICBs to use what flexibilities they have in their commissioning powers to deliver improvements that will work for their particular areas, and where necessary there should be clear lines of accountability for how ICBs manage NHS dental services under their responsibility. Commitments like the new government’s proposed 700,000 urgent appointments will rely on NHSE and DHSC’s ability to work with the people who deliver the service to translate that national priority into a local reality. recommendation NHSE and DHSC must in their future plans for NHS dentistry: a. clearly articulate how they will improve on previous efforts to co–ordinate between central and local initiatives. b. explain how they intend to support ICBs to innovate within their commissioning powers, while holding them to account for improving dentistry in their areas. 5 c. explain how they intend to support ICBs where, contrary to Government initiatives to expand access to dental treatment, practises may be experiencing a reduction in funding for 2025–26.