Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to explore the use of final-year dental students to support NHS dentistry capacity while maintaining patient safety and training standards.

Every undergraduate dental student gains clinical experience in the course of their studies under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.

Clinical placements provide dental students with the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including clinical abilities and effective communication with both patients and colleagues. The patients receiving treatment should never be charged for the care they receive.

These placements are designed to provide students with exposure to a range of clinical environments, rather than to enhance overall National Health Service delivery.