Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department for Health will conduct an assessment of the potential effects of the recent increase in patient charges for NHS dental services in England on people's ability and inclination regularly to visit a dentist.

The Department published an Impact Assessment which considered the impact of uplifting patient dental charges by 5% in 2016/17 and 2017/18, a copy of which is attached. We considered that the impact of increasing patient dental charges will mainly affect those of working age, for whom a proportionate increase to their charges is considered reasonable. Those on low incomes and other protected groups will remain exempt. Those not entitled to exemption but on low incomes may also be eligible to receive help with health costs. We do not consider that the uplifts to patient charges for National Health Service dental services in England will have any significant impact on people’s ability and inclination to regularly visit a dentist.