Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an estimate of the number of dental practices at risk of closure.

Following BUPA’s notice to NHS England of closures, regional teams and integrated care boards across England are working together to ensure that patients of all ages continue to have access to National Health Service dental care. This includes an assessment to identify potential gaps in NHS dental service provision and to consider what actions may be required.

No estimate has been made of the number of dental practices at risk of closure. Information on private dentistry is not held. The NHS contracts with independent dental providers to deliver NHS dental treatment in primary care settings.

In circumstances where parents are unable to access an urgent dental appointment for their child directly through a NHS dental practice, they can contact NHS 111 for assistance. NHS dentists are also required to keep their NHS.UK profiles up to date so that patients can find a dentist more easily.