Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number of available appointments in dental surgeries given shortages in personal protective equipment, the requirement to follow social distancing measures and reduced public confidence, and (2) the impact on dental health of reductions in dental services following the Covid-19 pandemic.

No data is collected centrally on the number of available National Health Service appointments in dental practices. Routine dental care has been restarted but safety of clinicians and patients is the priority. As with almost all areas of healthcare the infection prevention and control requirements of the pandemic period mean that at least initially dentists will be able to deliver fewer treatments per day. NHS England and NHS Improvement has been clear that dentists should only increase service as fast as is compatible with maximising safety.

Most high street dentists purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) via dental wholesalers which supply a range of equipment needed by dentists including PPE. During the COVID-19 pandemic the Government is working closely with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure that PPE is delivered to those who need it. Our priority is ensuring the safety of patients and all health care workers, including dentists. This includes supporting dental wholesalers to stock the equipment needed by general dental practice to safely support practices to restart face to face dental care.

NHS England and NHS Improvement took steps to minimise any impact of the suspension of routine dentistry at the peak of the pandemic by setting up urgent dental centres to deliver treatment urgently needed. Urgent dental treatment has therefore been available throughout the pandemic period through the over 600 such centres set up. These centres continue to operate through the restart period ensuring that patients who need urgent treatment can receive it.