The public spending watchdog, which supports Parliament in holding the government to account for its expenditure, has been looking into how the previous government developed its ‘Dental Recovery Plan’ for NHS Dentistry. It is investigating the progress made since the plan’s announcement, and how the government plans to evaluate and monitor its impact.
The college was among the organisations invited to give evidence. Representatives were asked about the extent and nature of any involvement of the profession in the development of the dental recovery plan, what opportunities there have been to engage with the ongoing delivery of the plan, and how it assesses the likely impact of specific measures in the plan.
The Dental Recovery Plan, announced in February 2024, set out a range of initiatives, both new and previously announced, intended to help tackle some of the longstanding problems facing NHS dentistry in England.
The plan included:
- A ‘Smile For Life’ programme
- A new patient premium
- Mobile dental vans
- The use of private practices to deliver NHS care
- A ‘golden hello’ for new graduates
- An increase in dental school places
- Medicines exemptions for dental hygienists and therapists
- An increase in the minimum value of a Unit of Dental Activity (UDA)
- More community water fluoridation
- More places and sittings for the Overseas Registration Examination and Licentiate in Dental Surgery
- Faster entry to the NHS Performers List
- Provisional registration and the identification of qualifications from outside the European Economic Area that meet the required standard for GDC registration
The college was not involved in developing the Dental Recovery Plan and issued a point-by-point response following its publication.
An update on the new patient premium, minimum UDA value, ‘golden hellos’ and mobile dental vans was published by NHS England in May 2024. The college has continued to engage in discussions around introducing medicines exemptions and expanding community water fluoridation, both of which are longstanding government policy, and has also participated in early discussions of provisional registration.
The NAO is expected to publish its report later in 2024.