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 improve access to NHS dentists in rural areas.

This Government is determined to improve access to NHS dentistry.

We are targeting areas most in need, including in rural areas, by delivering 700,000 extra urgent dental appointments and recruiting dentists under the Golden Hellos scheme.

We will reform the dental contract, with a consultation underway on measures to improve access. More fundamental reforms will follow before the end of this Parliament.