AQW 40652/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 16/02/2026
Answered On Date: 09/03/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail any interim actions that are planned by his Department to maintain health service dental provision, pending the publication of the General Dental Services Cost of Service Review, in March 2026.

Answer:

To improve access to dental care for both registered and unregistered patients, and to support primary care capacity as part of the broader ‘shift-left’ agenda, I have invested £7 million in General Dental Services in 2025/26.

The £7million investment is funding the continuation of the Enhanced Child Examination Scheme; a 30% enhancement on fees paid to dentists for health service fillings, extractions, and root canal treatments; and a further £1.6million allocation to support dental practitioners who continue to provide Health Service dental care to patients.

An additional £2.5million has also been made available for General Dental Practitioners to help offset the increased cost of employers’ National Insurance contributions for Family Health Service providers.

I am clear that General Dental Services will require a sustained effort to ensure stability over the long term. The Department’s ‘Health and Social Care NI -Three-year plan’ includes a commitment to develop an action plan and programme of work for the reform of General Dental Services by April 2027.

A General Dental Services Advisory group is being established to provide independent, expert advice to the Department to inform the development of an Action Plan, and ensure that reform aligns with Departmental priorities and addresses patient needs.