Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making (a) dental nurses, (b) dental hygienists, (c) dental technicians, (d) clinical dental technicians, (e) orthodontic therapists and (f) dental therapists employees of the NHS.

No assessment has been made. The National Health Service contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings. As a result, pay and conditions are agreed between staff and the practice holding an NHS contract, providing practices with the flexibility to recruit to meet local needs.