Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS dental care waiting times for people in Weaver Vale constituency; and what steps his Department is taking to increase NHS dental care capacity.

Data on waiting times for National Health Service dental appointments is not collected centrally by NHS England. Appointments for National Health Service (NHS) treatments are managed directly by dental practices.

NHS Dental practices have been asked to meet as many prioritised needs as safely possible. They are currently prioritising urgent care, care for vulnerable groups and children, followed by delayed planned care.

An additional £50 million in funding for NHS dentistry has been made available for the remainder of the 2021-22 financial year to give more patients that have been unable to obtain an NHS appointment, access to dental care. The available appointments will be targeted first at those most in need of urgent dental treatment, vulnerable groups and children.