Urgent need for transformative change in NHS dentistry
The National Health Service (NHS) general dental service in England, UK, has been at the centre of media and political attention in 2024. Crowds of people queuing for hours to sign up for a new NHS dentist in Bristol, UK, highlighted the ongoing crisis in NHS dentistry.1 With Members of Parliament receiving complaints from their constituents who face problems accessing NHS dentistry and increasing reports of people resorting to DIY dentistry, the Department of Health and Social Care published a Dental Recovery Plan for England2 on Feb 7, 2024, that unfortunately is a missed opportunity because it does not address the underlying long-term problems with NHS dentistry.