Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent forecast of the number of (i) Dental Nurses, (ii) Dental Hygienists, (iii) Dental Technicians, (iv) Clinical Dental Technicians, (v) Orthodontic Therapists and (vi) Dental Therapists who will be working in the NHS in 5 years' time based on numbers entering the sector.

No recent forecast has been made. The Government has committed to publishing a workforce plan this spring, which will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, taking account of improvements in retention and productivity.