Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the number of dentists from the EU coming to the UK to help fill dentist vacancies.

The Department has worked with the General Dental Council (GDC) to develop and consult on legislative proposals to allow GDC greater flexibility to amend its existing international registration processes and explore alternative pathways. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Department aims to introduce the legislative changes in early 2023. As the independent regulator, the GDC will determine how these flexibilities can be used.