Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help armed forces (a) veterans and (b) families to access NHS dental treatment.

We are working to ensure that everyone who needs to see a dentist will be able to do so. This includes our valued members of the Armed Forces community, including our respected veterans, who have spent their careers defending our country.

The Government plans to tackle the challenges for patients trying to access National Health Service dental care with a rescue plan to provide 700,000 more urgent dental appointments and recruit new dentists to the areas that need them most. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists. Armed forces families and veterans will be able to benefit from the improved access these changes bring, like other civilian members of the public.

Free NHS dental care is available to people who meet the following criteria:

- under 18 years old, or under 19 years old and in full-time education;

- pregnant or have had a baby in the previous 12 months;

- being treated in an NHS hospital and the treatment is carried out by the hospital dentist, although patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges;

- receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 years old and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits; or

- receiving War Pension Scheme payments, or Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments and the treatment is for your accepted disability.

Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for an exemption or a full remission of dental patient charges. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/who-is-entitled-to-free-nhs-dental-treatment-in-england/