A recent analysis of the GP Survey by Ipsos has revealed that the ongoing dental crisis within the NHS is leaving approximately one in four adults without access to essential care, a situation condemned as “obscene” by dental professionals. The study, which focused on the “unmet need” for dentistry, highlighted a growing number of individuals who have given up on seeking dental appointments due to the perceived impossibility of securing one.
In England, the 2026 survey indicated that 6.2 million people had foregone dental treatment in the past two years because they believed obtaining an appointment was unlikely, marking an increase of 300,000 cases compared to the previous year. Despite a slight decrease in overall unmet need from 13.8 million in 2025 to 13.3 million in 2026, dentists argue that progress remains insufficient. The data shows that one in four adults are currently not receiving necessary dental care, a significant rise from pre-Covid levels.
According to the British Dental Association, 4.9 million adult patients attempted but failed to secure NHS care in the last two years, showing a decrease of 800,000 cases compared to the previous year. Eddie Crouch, the BDA chair, expressed concern over the millions of individuals facing desperation due to delayed or nonexistent dental care, emphasizing the urgent need for substantial reform within the system.
The NHS dental funding for England has stagnated at around £3 billion for over a decade, failing to keep up with inflation and population growth. The crisis has been exacerbated by the declining proportion of the NHS budget allocated to dentistry, dropping from 3.3% in 2010 to just 1.5% in 2024. While Labour has pledged to increase annual funding and reform the NHS dental contract, the BDA underscores the necessity of an additional £1.5 billion per year to fully restore NHS dentistry as a universal service.
Efforts to address the dental crisis include the creation of 50 new dentist training positions in regions with severe dental shortages, expansion of registration exams for overseas-trained dentists, and the implementation of supervised teeth brushing programs in disadvantaged areas. Despite these initiatives, the fundamental reform of NHS dentistry remains contingent upon securing the required financial resources to ensure equitable access to dental care for all in need.
