Major reforms to the NHS dental contract in England will see dentists receive higher payments for treating patients with urgent needs, in a bid to tackle a crisis that has left millions struggling to access care.
Contract Changes Aimed at Urgent Cases
From April 2026, changes to what the government admits is a "flawed" NHS contract will financially incentivise dentists to offer appointments for serious conditions. These include severe infections, significant pain, or trauma affecting teeth.
Furthermore, patients with complex issues, such as decay in multiple teeth or advanced gum disease, will be offered a single treatment package. This new approach is designed to save patients an estimated £225 by avoiding the need for multiple, separate appointments.
A System in Crisis
The reforms come as a response to a deepening crisis in NHS dentistry. Recent analysis reveals the unmet need for dental care in England currently stands at nearly 14 million people – representing over one in four adults.
A stark national survey published last week found the situation has deteriorated so severely that 41% of adults in England reported having rotten teeth. This marks a sharp increase from 28% in 2009 and returns the nation to levels last seen in 1998.
With most dental practices across England closed to new NHS patients, some desperate individuals have resorted to extracting their own teeth.
Government and Industry Response
Care Minister Stephen Kinnock stated the government had inherited a "broken NHS dental system" and was working to fix it. "These changes will make it easier for anyone with urgent dental needs to get NHS treatment, preventing painful conditions from spiralling into avoidable hospital admissions," he said.
The British Dental Association (BDA) welcomed the reforms but cautioned they are not a complete solution. Shiv Pabary, Chair of the BDA General Dental Practice Committee, described the changes as the "biggest tweaks this failed contract has seen in its history." However, he stressed, "this cannot be the end of the road."
The reforms are seen as a victory for the Mirror's Dentists for All campaign, which has long highlighted the service's decline.
Alternative Proposals and Criticism
Amid the ongoing debate, the think tank Policy Exchange proposed introducing £150-a-year dental vouchers to end the "postcode lottery" of care. The vouchers could be used for insurance or towards check-up costs.
This idea was swiftly criticised by the BDA. Chairman Eddie Crouch dismissed it as a distraction, arguing it risked subsidising private care for some while leaving the most vulnerable behind. "A struggling service urgently requires real reform and sustainable funding. We don't need distractions," he said.
The government's planned contract changes represent the first significant step in what ministers hope will be a new era for NHS dentistry, following what they describe as a decade of decline under previous administrations.
