Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to incentivise dental practitioners to work in areas with significant waiting lists.

Patients in England are not registered with a National Health Service dental practice and no national waiting list is in operation, although many NHS dental practices do tend to see patients regularly. Dental practices may operate local waiting list arrangements.

We acknowledge that there are areas of the country that are experiencing recruitment and retention issues and that this can mean that patients may have difficulty accessing an NHS dentist.

We are taking steps to address the workforce challenges across the country. Integrated care boards have started to advertise posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years.

As of 10 February 2025, in England, 35 dentists have commenced in post and a further 33 dentists have been recruited but are yet to start in post. A further 249 posts are currently advertised.