Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to roll out a reformed NHS dental contract.

Initial negotiations on improvements to the National Health Service dental contract concluded in June 2022. On 25 November 2022, three sub-bands to Band 2 NHS dental treatment were created, which more fairly remunerates NHS dentists for more complex dental treatment without affecting patient charges. We are also ensuring that NHS dentists update practice profiles on NHS.UK at least every 90 days. Further changes to the contract as a result of these negotiations will come into force in the coming months.

We are working with NHS England and the dental sector on further improvements to NHS dentistry, considering new payment models and encouraging dentists to work in areas of need. Further improvements will be announced in 2023.