Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 20 November 2023 to Question 1862 on Dental Services: Easington, what data is held centrally on access to NHS dental care.

The annual GP Patient Survey includes questions on whether patients have tried to obtain an appointment with a National Health Service dentist and, if so, whether they had been successful. NHS Dental Statistics for England, published by NHS Digital, brings together information on NHS dental activity in England, including information about patients seen.

The latest NHS Dental Statistics Annual Report published on 24 August 2023 shows that 18.1 million adults were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months up to 30 June 2023, an increase of 1.7 million, or 10%, when compared to the previous year; and 6.4 million children were seen by an NHS dentist in the 12 months up to 30 June 2023, an increase of 800,000, or 14%, when compared to the previous year. Dental activity, as measured by courses of treatment delivered, also increased by 23.2% compared to the previous year.

The latest GP Patient survey data is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/category/statistics/gp-dental-statistics/

The latest NHS Dental Statistics for England is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics