Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes in the budget on dental laboratories; and if he will take steps to ensure that the dental contract reflects actual costs for dental laboratories.

The independent pay review body for doctors and dentists recommended a 6% pay uplift for 2024/25. The Government accepted the recommendation and has proposed that National Health Service primary care dentistry contract values be uplifted by 4.64%, net of pay and expenses elements. Laboratory costs are part of the expenses element of this uplift.

The Government is acting to implement the overall uplift to contract values as soon as possible. To rebuild dentistry in the long term, we will reform the dental contract with the sector, with a shift to focus on prevention and the retention of NHS dentists.