Dental Services: Waiting Lists
(asked on 1st June 2026) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the average waiting time is for NHS orthodontic treatment following referral; and what steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists.
Data on the average waiting times for National Health Service orthodontic treatment is not held centrally. Patients referred for NHS orthodontic treatment before the age of 18 years old remain eligible for NHS-funded treatment, provided they meet the relevant clinical eligibility criteria, the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need. Eligibility is determined by the patient's age at the date of referral, rather than the date treatment commences. Further information can be found at the following link:
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including NHS dentistry and orthodontic services, to meet the needs of the local population.
To support ICBs in their duties, NHS England has published a number of documents, including a clinical policy to support the commissioning of orthodontic activity, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/clinical-standards-for-dental-specialties-orthodontics/