Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing medical exemptions to access NHS care for dental injuries caused as a result of epileptic seizures.

There are currently no plans to extend the list of people eligible for free National Health Service dental care to include those with dental injuries caused by epileptic seizures.

Free NHS dental care is available to people who meet one of the following criteria: under 18, or under 19 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, keeping in mind that patients may have to pay for any dentures or bridges; and receiving low-income benefits, or under 20 and a dependant of someone receiving low-income benefits.

Support is also available through the NHS Low Income Scheme for those patients who are not eligible for exemption or full remission of dental patient charges.

More information is available at the following link:

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

Community dental services provide specialised dental services to people with additional needs and are available in a variety of places to ensure everyone can have access to dental care. These include hospitals, specialists’ health centres and mobile clinics, as well as home visits or visits in nursing and care homes. These services may be available to people with epilepsy, depending on their needs.