Number of dentists working in NHS falls to lowest figure since 2015
THE number of dentists working in the NHS in England has dipped, figures show.
There were 23,577 dentists carrying out NHS treatments in 2022/23, down from 24,272 the previous year.
The last time the figures fell below 24,000 — apart from during the Covid pandemic — was in 2014/15.
The British Dental Association — which got the data from a Freedom of Information request — dental practices are struggling to fill vacancies.
As a result, they face fines for not hitting their NHS contract targets.
The BDA estimates practices will have to pay back more than £400million this year for failing to hit targets.
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And the union wants dentists paid more for NHS work.
They get a minimum of £23 for each Unit of Dental Activity, including examinations and polishes.
Patients are charged £25.80, meaning many dentists lose money.
Shawn Charlwood, of the BDA, said: “Government needs to accept the facts and provide a rescue package to keep this service afloat.
"NHS dentistry is haemorrhaging talent and further tweaks to a broken system will not stem the flow.”