The first sustained expansion of dental school places in 20 years has been announced in a major step forward for the Mirror's Dentists for All campaign. The Government has unveiled 50 new training places at universities in two of England's worst dental deserts, where people ripping out their own teeth is commonplace.
If these young dentists set up locally, it will mean many thousands of patients gaining access to an NHS practice. However, the British Dental Association (BDA) warns that without the Treasury committing more funding and fixing the 'broken' payment system for NHS dentistry in England, it will have little impact.
New Training Places Announced
The University of East Anglia and the University of Portsmouth will each receive 25 new training places for dentists. Both cover rural and coastal communities where accessing an NHS dental appointment is impossible for many.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: 'No one in the 21st century should struggle to access basic dental care or, even worse, be forced to take matters into their own hands. By bringing dental school places to the University of East Anglia and the University of Portsmouth for the first time, trainee dentists will put down roots in parts of the country that have for too long been left behind. These new places will help train NHS-ready dentists in the communities that need them most, meaning patients can get the care they need faster and closer to home.'
Funding Concerns Remain
The Mirror has highlighted how funding for NHS dentistry in England is currently only enough to care for half the population. Shrinking the NHS dental budget over the last decade has meant dentists make a loss on many NHS procedures, causing an exodus to the private sector.
BDA Chair Eddie Crouch said: 'New dental schools are a step forward but are no silver bullet for ending dental deserts. Keeping even this tiny number of new graduates in the NHS hinges on making the service a place dentists would choose to build a career. That means real reform, wedded to sustainable funding.'
The Office for Students was asked to allocate new training places to the two universities to prioritise areas that do not currently train dentists. This means all NHS England regions will now have a dental school.
Professor Graham Galbraith CBE, vice-chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, hailed it as a 'landmark moment', adding: 'The South East has needed its own dental school for decades and today that ambition becomes a reality. We are ready to train the next generation of dental professionals right here in Portsmouth - professionals who will stay in the region and help end the dental desert.'
UEA's Vice-Chancellor Prof David Maguire said: 'We have been working on this for several years and look forward to starting our new course in 2027.'
The government has also expanded places on professional registration exams for overseas-trained dentists. However, the BDA warns many will reduce the percentage of NHS patients they see and possibly go private altogether if the NHS dental contract is not reformed and properly funded.
The government has promised to reform the contract but without pledging any additional funding to bring about substantial improvements across the country. The NHS dental budget for England has remained at £3 billion for around a decade, resulting in a real terms cut of around £1 billion. This is enough to cover around half the population, according to BDA analysis.
Most dental practices are not taking on new adult NHS patients. The GP Survey 2025 suggested there is an 'unmet need' among 14 million people - one in four of the adult population - who cannot get an NHS dentist and cannot afford to go private.
