One in ten dental practices in England stop offering NHS care

Around one in ten dental practices providing NHS care in England have stopped offering NHS services since 2017, new analysis has revealed.

Research by the Nuffield Trust found around 600 practices have left general NHS dentistry over the past nine years, amid growing concerns over patients’ ability to access affordable dental treatment.

The proportion of dental practices offering general NHS dentistry has fallen from 64.6% in 2017 to 55.6% in 2026.

While the overall number of dental practices operating in England has actually increased, the number holding an NHS general dental contract has fallen from around 6,260 in March 2017 to approximately 5,650 in March 2026.

At the same time, the number of practices without a general NHS contract – predominantly private or specialist providers – has increased by almost 1,000.

The decline has been widespread, with 41 of England’s 42 integrated care board areas recording a reduction in the number of NHS dental practices.

Some of the largest falls have been recorded in the South West and East of England, including reductions of 27% in Cornwall and 26% in Devon.

The Nuffield Trust warned that the gradual withdrawal of practices from NHS dentistry risks creating a two-tier system in which access increasingly depends on where people live and whether they can afford private treatment.

Access is already a significant problem. Six in ten adults have not seen an NHS dentist during the past two years, while among people who attempted to secure a new NHS dental appointment, only 38% were successful.

The findings come despite efforts to reform NHS dentistry, including changes introduced in April aimed at improving urgent care and increasing payments for some more complex treatments.

However, the Nuffield Trust said more fundamental reform will be needed to make NHS work sufficiently attractive to dental practices and reverse the long-term decline.

The findings add to mounting concerns over the future accessibility of NHS dentistry in England as increasing numbers of patients face the choice of paying privately or struggling to obtain treatment.

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