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 increase intake numbers at dental schools (a) for dental (i) hygienists and (ii) therapists and (b) in general.

We will publish a refreshed workforce plan to ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need when they need it.

According to the Higher Education Students Early Statistics survey, the number of student starters in dental hygiene courses increased to 150 in the 2024/25 academic year, compared to 140 in 2023/24. Similarly, the number of student starters in dental therapy courses increased to 335 in 2024/25, up from 315 in the previous year.

We want to remove the barriers to training in clinical roles, which is why eligible dental hygiene and dental therapy students can access the NHS Learning Support Fund. This includes a non-repayable grant of £5,000 per academic year, and further support is available for childcare, dual accommodation costs, and travel. The funding arrangements are reviewed annually at the start of each academic year.