21 FEB 2025
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock has announced hundreds of thousands of people across England will soon be able to access urgent and emergency dental care as the government and NHS roll out 700,000 extra urgent appointments.
Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation says: “This is an encouraging step towards improving access to NHS dentistry and will make a real difference for patients in urgent need.
“However, it barely scratches the surface of the crisis facing NHS dentistry. Millions are still struggling to access routine care, and urgent appointments alone won’t solve the deeper issues in the system. We need a long-term strategy that prioritises prevention and ensures everyone can get the dental care they need before problems become emergencies.”
NHS England has written to integrated care boards (ICB) across the country, directing health chiefs in each region to set up thousands of urgent appointments over the next year.
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700,000 urgent dental appointments announced
