Patients in Wales could be offered treatment at any available practice within their area under new plans for NHS dentistry, sparking criticism from the profession.
Rather than visiting a single surgery, proposed changes could see Welsh patients offered visits at any practice within their health board area – with check-ups for those with healthy teeth taking place every 18 to 24 months.
All patients over 18 would be placed onto a central waiting list, known as the Dental Access Portal (DAP), before being allocated a surgery on a first come, first served basis. If an adult patient needs treatment, they would remain with the same surgery until it is complete or if they needed close post-treatment monitoring.
Children would be assessed but stay at the first surgery they are allocated.
In addition, the plans would also see the community dental services take responsibility for the highest needs patients.
What does the profession think?
A BDA survey of dentists across Wales* found that:
- Significantly, 73% of dentists say they are likely to reduce their NHS commitment in the event the model is imposed next year, with 64% saying they are likely to go fully private
- Only 2% feel that changes would support the long-term sustainability of NHS dentistry in Wales
- Just 2% agree that reforms would improve population health, with only 5% saying that they would enhance prevention. In addition, 2% feel reforms would support continuity of care, with the same proportion believing it would enhance early detection of oral health conditions. Around 8% say that reforms would actually improve access to NHS care. But only 6% think the proposed system would provide good value for money for the taxpayer
- More than two in five (42%) said they would be unwilling to go back to working under the historic discredited system of targets going forward. And almost three quarters (72%) would not be willing to work under the proposed reforms as they stand.
*Online survey of 176 general dental practitioners in Wales, fieldwork 5 May to 5 June 2025.
Some charges for patients would also change. For example, a regular check-up would go up from £20 to £24.75 while the charge for urgent treatment would go up to £41.25 from £26.80.
However some charges would drop, including a single crown dropping to £239.15 (including laboratory fee) from the current £260.
The British Dental Association (BDA) says removal of patients from practice lists to a centralised database would ‘undermine continuity of care’, spelling the end of the ‘family dentist’.
The system would also bring changes to the way dentists are paid, with rewards proposed for those delivering a ‘care package’ to patients with ongoing or complex needs.
Changes are expected to be rolled out in April 2025.
A public consultation on the changes has now entered its final phase and will close on 19 June 2025. To submit your views visit www.gov.wales/reform-nhs-general-dental-services.
‘Untested’ alternative
Russell Gidney, chair of the BDA’s Welsh General Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘On improving access and outcomes and refocusing on prevention, the Welsh Government set lofty goals, but its reforms risk achieving the exact opposite.
‘Now dentists are stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea, between a failed status quo and an unpopular, untested alternative.
‘Common sense must prevail. Ministers must be willing to listen, pilot plans and avoid a leap in the dark that could destroy this service.’
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
