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 reduce workplace pressures on NHS dentists.

We recently held a public consultation on a package of changes to improve access to, and the quality of NHS dentistry, which will deliver better care for the diverse oral health needs of people across England. The consultation closed on 19 August. The Government is considering the outcomes of the consultation and will publish a response in due course.

If implemented, these reforms will cement our commitment to delivering 700,000 more urgent dental care appointments every year, better supporting patients with complex treatment needs and incentivising the delivery of more preventative care. The interim reform changes will seek to make NHS dentistry a more attractive workplace.

We will also publish a 10 Year Workforce Plan and will ensure the NHS has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the best care for patients, when they need it.