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Over 100,000 people have signed a Mirror petition demanding the Government reverses a decade of Tory cuts so people can get an NHS dentist again. Our Dentists for All campaign has highlighted how the total £3 billion funding for dentistry in England is currently only enough for half the population to get a dentist when they need one. It has seen 112,000 people sign a petition demanding “Fund NHS dentistry NOW” - which will be handed in to Government on Wednesday. Our growing oral health crisis means a quarter of the adult population - or 14 million people in England - are living with an “unmet need” for dentistry . Per head of population, the Westminster government puts in almost half less into dental services than other parts of the UK. And a decade of Tory stealth cuts mean people are being forced to rip their own teeth out. Eddie Crouch, chair of the British Dental Association, said: “The public understand that providing access to care hinges on sustainable funding. If Ministers don’t reverse a generation of savage cuts then millions will remain locked out of NHS dentistry.” Plans are underway to reform the “flawed” NHS dental payment contract which leaves dentists making a loss treating patients who need most care. It pays dentists the same if a patient needs three fillings as if a patient needs 20 fillings. It has caused an exodus of NHS dentists to the private sector and means dental practices are no longer taking on new NHS patients. However, this contract reform will depend on the overall funding settlement. The total budget for NHS dentistry in England has remained at around £3 billion since 2010, with no attempt to keep pace with inflation or population growth. The British Dental Association estimates that this has translated into a real-terms budget cut of over a third. But when you dig deeper the figures show that rises in patient charges have masked cuts of £20 million to government funding for dentistry under the Tories, even before inflation. The Government only contributes around £2.2 billion of the dentistry budget for England in direct funding. Holding down direct funding has come at the same time as above inflation rises in patient charges. For example, the charge for dentures has increased by £128 since 2010 with a pair now costing £327. Matthew McGregor, chief executive at campaigning group 38 Degrees, who the Mirror partnered with for the petition, said: "The fact that 112,000 people and counting have now joined the campaign to demand proper funding for NHS dentistry says it all. Reforms, promises and ambitions are one thing but, unless the Government puts its money where its mouth is, millions of people across the UK will continue going without affordable and accessible dental care, and suffering as a result. The Autumn Budget is a critical opportunity to change that." Chancellor Rachel Reeves will unveil her Autumn Budget on November 26 when government departments will see what cash they are being allocated for the years to come. The Mirror launched the Dentists for All campaign in January 2024 after it became clear that a decade of Tory cuts had triggered a complete collapse in access. Our demands were to reform the dental contract and properly fund the service so that everyone who needs an NHS dentist can get one. Our campaign first petition garnered over a quarter of a million signatures before being handed in to Downing Street last year. Labour has since launched a consultation on reforming the dental contract and has also rolled out supervised tooth brushing at primary schools as well as handing out 23 million free toothbrushes and toothpastes to kids in poorer areas. But now funding is key to effectively reforming the NHS dental contract. The Westminster government is responsible for direct funding for dental care in England as the NHS is a devolved matter for the other UK nations. Per head of population, the Westminster government puts in almost half less into dental services than other parts of the UK. In 2022/23 government spend on NHS dentistry per head was £38 in England, compared to £57 in Wales, £59 in Northern Ireland and £73 in Scotland . And the UK has the lowest ratio of dentists per capita of any country in the G7. Dentistry got 3.3% of the NHS budget for England in 2010, but it is now down to 1.5%. Labour has promised to spend a greater proportion of the NHS budget on primary care but while GPs have benefited no increase has been committed for dentistry. Evidence by dentistry minister Stephen Kinnock to the Health Select Committee earlier this year suggested the Treasury is refusing to fund radical reform and that the total dentistry budget for England would stay roughly the same.
