Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department provides to dental practices on the promotion of private tooth-whitening procedures in their surgeries.

Only treatments that are clinically necessary are provided on the National Health Service so tooth whitening can only usually be provided privately. No specific guidance is therefore issued by the Department or NHS England on tooth whitening.

As with any other dental cosmetic procedure practices are able to advertise and offer this service to patients privately. Dentists are required to make clear to patients what treatments are being provided on the NHS and privately and the costs, risks and benefits associated with each.

Dentists’ clinical practice is regulated by the General Dental Council. This includes cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening as well as treatments that are clinically necessary.