Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK armed forces personnel are categorised as NATO dental fitness Category (a) 2 and (b) 3 on the basis that they need dental care or treatment to achieve optimal dental fitness.

As at 1 April 2025 (latest available data) 21,461 Armed Forces personnel were categorised as NATO Category 2. As at 1 April 2025 13,742, were categorised as NATO Category 3, meaning that they require either preventative or interventive treatment to achieve optimal dental fitness.

A further 20,870 UK Armed Forces personnel were categorised as NATO Category 4, meaning that they require a periodic dental examination, have an undetermined dental status, or have missing or incomplete dental records.