AQW 34456/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 03/11/2025
Answered On Date: 26/11/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of the British Dental Association’s evidence that current Health Service fees do not cover the cost of providing treatment; and (ii) to detail any action he will take to address this.

Answer:

I acknowledge the British Dental Association’s (BDA) longstanding concerns regarding the adequacy of Health Service dental fees in covering the cost of providing treatment and ensuring the financial viability of Health Service dentistry. That is why I commissioned a cost-of-service review which will help inform the future direction of General Dental Services. The review is intended to provide an independent assessment of the actual costs incurred by dental practices in delivering Health Service dental treatments and represents a critical step towards evidence-based reform.

I am clear that in common with other services, General Dental Services will require sustained effort to ensure sustainability over the longer term. The ability to implement transformative change however is significantly constrained by the Department’s £600 million budget deficit, which limits the scope for transformative change.

Despite this, in June this year I announced £7m investment for 2025/26 aimed at supporting dental practices while longer-term reform is developed. In addition, a further £2.5million has been made available for General Dental Services to offset the impact of increased National Insurance contributions on General Dental Services. These measures reflect my Department’s ongoing commitment to sustaining dental provision, despite significant financial pressures.