What is the current state of NHS dentistry in England?

The NHS dental budget in England has remained at around £3 billion since 2010, despite population growth, leading to a crisis where most dentists no longer accept new adult NHS patients.

How are patients affected by the lack of NHS dental funding?

Millions of people in England are living with unmet dental needs, with some desperate patients forced to extract their own teeth due to the lack of affordable care.

What is the government being urged to do about the NHS dentistry crisis?

A petition with over 120,000 signatures has been handed to the government, demanding they properly fund NHS dentistry to ensure accessible and affordable dental care for all.

Home / Health / Millions Suffer as NHS Dental Funding Fails to Keep Pace with Demand

Millions Suffer as NHS Dental Funding Fails to Keep Pace with Demand

12 Nov

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Summary

Petition calls for increased NHS dental funding as current £3 billion only covers half the population
Tory cuts over the past decade have led to most dentists no longer accepting new adult NHS patients
Patients forced to extract their own teeth due to lack of affordable dental care

Millions Suffer as NHS Dental Funding Fails to Keep Pace with Demand

As of November 12th, 2025, a petition calling for the government to properly fund NHS dentistry has been handed in, highlighting the ongoing crisis in dental care. The petition, which has garnered over 120,000 signatures, comes as the current £3 billion budget for dentistry in England is only enough to cover half the population.

The lack of funding has had a devastating impact, with a decade of Tory stealth cuts leading to most dentists no longer accepting new adult NHS patients. This has left millions of people struggling to access affordable dental care, with some forced to take drastic measures. 68-year-old Monica Finlay from East London, for example, had to pull out several of her own teeth due to being unable to find an NHS dentist.

Reforms to the "flawed" NHS dental payment contract are in the works, but these will depend on the overall funding settlement. Experts warn that without a significant boost in investment, the crisis will only deepen, leaving hard-pressed families with no options for affordable dental treatment.

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