Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 31
31
NHS dental workforce maldistribution creates shocking regional inequalities in access to care.
Conclusion
It is also clearly the case that NHS dental workforce issues are much more pronounced in some parts of England than others and that this is leading to some shocking regional inequalities in access to dental care.92 At the lowest end of the scale, Somerset ICB delivered 382 courses of treatment per 1,000 people in the region, whereas South Yorkshire ICB was delivering more than double this, at 800 courses of treatment per 1,000 people.93 Neither NHSE or DHSC denied that there are regional inequalities in the provision of NHS dentistry though, for context, NHSE noted that “maldistribution of the dental workforce is a worldwide issue”. DHSC also added that the issue around attracting dentists to work in coastal, rural and remote areas is very applicable to GPs and other types of medical professionals too.94
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 10 July 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗