Dental policy in 2025: Progress, challenges and next steps
23 May 2025
By Denplan
At Denplan, we’ve heard from our members the challenges within the dental landscape over numerous years and several colours of government. There is a £392m underspend against the total ringfenced NHS dental budget and yet, people across the country are still struggling to access care. Many of the challenges are not new and yet, adoption of sensible solutions suggested by industry remains too slow.
One of the most significant opportunities we have is to recognise the vital role of private providers and mixed practice models in addressing the challenges in access and delivering improvements in oral health. Central to this is ensuring that the voice of our members is heard, with dentistry meaningfully integrated into the national policy agenda. Engagement with policymakers on the changes needed to deliver the future of dentistry is crucial, and should build on the policy momentum established to date.
The first quarter of 2025 has already seen some key developments – from the roll out of the Government’s national supervised toothbrushing programme, to increased parliamentary scrutiny – which demonstrate the need for systemic reform to ensure equitable and sustainable dental care for all.
Welcome first steps taken to deliver on Labour’s manifesto pledges
The Government has committed to delivering critical change to the health system, as evidenced by the abolition of NHS England announcement. And with publication of the Government’s much-anticipated 10-Year Health Plan imminent, work is well underway. Further Government announcements on oral health also include:
Delivery of an extra 700,000 urgent dental appointments – though it remains to be seen whether this has led to tangible improvements for patients seeking care.
The roll out of a national supervised toothbrushing programme, with an £11 million investment, for children aged 3 to 5 in deprived areas. Given Denplan’s commitment to preventive care and oral health education – including our Brightbites initiative in partnership with Dentaid, the dental charity, we strongly welcome this activity.
While these are steps in the right direction, Government action on dentistry has been piecemeal and fragmented for too long. It is vital that measures are part of a broader strategy that includes long-term workforce planning, investment in preventive care, and a sustainable funding model – in line with the recommendations sent out in Denplan’s 2024 white paper ‘The Future of Dentistry: Unlocking Solutions to Improving Oral Health’.
Stark warnings from parliamentarians
Parliamentarians of all colours recognise the extent of dentistry challenges, particularly those felt increasingly by their constituents;
A report published by the Public Accounts Committee highlighted challenges with the NHS dental contract, and found that initiatives in the Government's dental recovery plan such as the new patient premium and "golden hello" bonuses have not produced the expected results.
Concerns were discussed at a recent joint meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups for Dentistry and Health, which looked at the need for a long-term strategy, with contract reform, workforce planning, and investment in prevention, including a focus on flexible commissioning to ensure NHS dentistry remains financially viable for practices.
Recent research commissioned by the Liberal Democrats also revealed that over 4,000 NHS dentists are approaching retirement age, with the party calling for a £750 million rescue package for dentistry.
It is promising to see voices from across the political spectrum scrutinising progress when it comes to dentistry and engaging in the debate around the future of the sector. As part of these recent parliamentary sessions, we’ve been encouraged by strong engagement from MPs – with, for example, Rachel Gilmour MP raising the importance of preventative care: “We all know that prevention is cheaper than cure. The bottom line is that children need to have access to a dentist”.
This is reflective of the fact access to services is a growing issue for constituents, especially those impacted by ‘dental deserts’. In line with this, Denplan’s work this year includes continued 1-1 engagement with such MPs to understand their challenges at a local level and how Denplan can support them to drive Government engagement on the changes needed.
We all know that prevention is cheaper than cure. The bottom line is that children need to have access to a dentist.
Rachel Gilmour MP
The path forward
Addressing these issues requires considered solutions. Last year, Denplan was proud to work in partnership with the sector to develop a series of recommendations to help ensure the future of dentistry – leading up to a parliamentary roundtable launch in November, chaired by Helen Morgan MP, the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care.
Our focus is now on translating the recommendations in the white paper into tangible actions that deliver clear benefits.
Supporting as a Denplan member
As a Denplan member, you play a critical role in highlighting to the Government the value of mixed model practices, including when it comes to relieving pressure on the NHS.
With your frontline experience and understanding of sector challenges, you have an opportunity to share with MPs how our calls for system change align with the Government’s wider health agenda, particularly around issues related to prevention and productivity – highlighting to the critical role dentistry plays in improving the nation’s health.