Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help expand the capacity of NHS dental practices.

The Department and NHS England and NHS Improvement are working with stakeholders, including the British Dental Association (BDA), to improve the National Health Service dental system. This aims to improve patient access, reduce health inequalities and make the NHS a more attractive place to work for dentists. We are currently negotiating with the BDA and further information will be available when these negotiations have concluded. Between April and June 2022 NHS England and NHS Improvement have asked practices to deliver at least 95% of contracted units of dental activity to safely improve access for patients.