Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to increase the number of NHS dental appointments available in West Yorkshire.

National Health Service dental practices are open for face to face care. The Department is working closely with NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Chief Dental Officer for England to increase levels of service, as fast as is safely possible, taking into account Public Health England guidance and continued infection risks.

Dental practices are prioritising patients with urgent care needs, irrespective of whether they have been treated previously at the practice. If patients require urgent dental care and cannot get an appointment, they are advised to call NHS 111 who will assist in booking an appointment at one of over 100 designated urgent care centres, which continue to stay open across Yorkshire.