The British Dental Association (BDA) has said Rishi Sunak, the prime minister, must deliver on his leadership election pledge to ‘restore’ NHS dentistry with the much-delayed recovery plan.

In response to the Commons Liaison Committee on December 19, 2023, the prime minister said the plan, first pledged in April and widely expected before summer recess, would come in 2024, although he would not commit to a date.

"It will be in the new year,” he said. “Obviously, there's £3bn that's been invested in NHS dentistry with a reformed contract, which is helping.” The BDA stressed that the PM has no credible basis for citing a budget largely unchanged in a decade and tweaks to the failed contract, fuelling the exodus from the service as ‘progress’.

News follows the government’s failure to sign up to fundamental reforms proposed by the Health and Social Care Committee, and Nuffield Trust research that suggests universal access to NHS dentistry is effectively gone for good.

In her forward response to the committee’s inquiry, Victoria Atkins, the health secretary, stated the government’s ambition that, “NHS dentistry should be accessible and available for all those who need it.”

The professional body understands the recovery plan has faced blockages at the Treasury. It says the government must give demoralised dentists a reason to stay in the NHS.

Eddie Crouch, British Dental Association chair, said, “The prime minister pledged to ‘restore’ NHS dentistry. Tweaks to a failed contract and a budget that’s unchanged in a decade won’t deliver that.

“We need real ambition. After eight months of waiting, this ‘Recovery’ Plan must pass the Ronseal test.

“It has to give dentists thinking twice about their futures a reason to stay in the NHS. Otherwise, what’s the point?”

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