The government has announced major changes to how dental appointments are accessed and delivered, effective immediately, with further requirements rolling out from April 2026.
The move comes amid shocking reports of desperate patients resorting to DIY dentistry, including yanking out their own loose or painful teeth, because they couldn’t secure timely NHS care.
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock described the situation as totally unacceptable, stating: “Nobody should be pushed to such a state of desperation that they’re forced to pull their own teeth out, but there are far too many cases of this happening.”
Recent investigations by Healthwatch England and media outlets have highlighted cases where people in severe pain faced extreme options: travelling hundreds of miles for treatment, paying large sums privately, or attempting extractions at home with tools like pliers.
‘Urgent appointments’
A key issue was the narrow definition of ‘urgent’ appointments that excluded many serious but non-emergency cases, such as advanced tooth decay or infections.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of allocated urgent slots went unused, nearly 900,000 in recent figures, while patients suffered.
Following advice from Chief Dental Officer Jason Wong, the government is broadening the scope of these appointments to cover all dental care, not just strictly defined urgent cases.
This shift aims to allow earlier intervention, better prevention, and improved continuity of care for patients with significant oral health needs.
Key changes
Key changes under the new scheme include:
- Immediate expansion of the appointment target to encompass a wider range of treatments, expected to deliver millions more appointments this year. New data shows 1.8 million additional dental treatments already provided in the first seven months of 2025-26.
- From April 2026, high street dental practices will be required to offer a minimum number of urgent or unscheduled appointments. These could benefit new patients to a practice, helping those struggling to register anywhere.
- Greater flexibility for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to commission services tailored to local needs, including repurposing existing capacity.
Kinnock added that the changes address the ‘absurd situation’ where someone with rotting teeth might not qualify for urgent care, while “Widening access… means more patients will be seen quickly and get the care they need before problems escalate,” Wong said.
The government is also advancing prevention efforts, including a national supervised toothbrushing programme for up to 600,000 children aged 3-5, alongside wider reforms in the 10 Year Health Plan to boost the dental workforce and shift focus from treatment of sickness to oral health maintenance.
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