23 Sep 2026
More NHS dental treatments were delivered in England during 2025/26, but many people are still struggling to access care, according to the Nuffield Trust.
New NHS figures show that 37.6 million courses of treatment were delivered during the year, 6.2% more than in 2024/25. However, only 40% of adults had seen an NHS dentist in the previous two years, while 60% of children had been seen during the previous 12 months.
The number of dentists carrying out some NHS work also rose by 3.1% to 25,419.
However, the Nuffield Trust said this does not necessarily mean more NHS appointments are available, as the amount of NHS work undertaken by each dentist varies.
The figures also only include people who successfully accessed NHS dental care. They do not show how many people could not find an appointment, stopped looking, paid for private treatment or sought help elsewhere.
The Nuffield Trust warned that access varies considerably across England and is calling for reform of the NHS dental contract to help prevent more practices moving away from NHS provision.
