How will the Labour Party affect NHS dentistry in the UK?

The recent General Election has brought a significant change to the UK. Not only to our politics, but also to our highly valued NHS services. The election result, seeing a shift from a 14 year Conservative government to a victory for Labour, should bring an element of hope to our country - especially when focusing on our struggling dental system.

In the last few years, we have seen the many problems surrounding NHS dentistry - a lack of dentists, lack of appointments and a lack of public oral health literacy to name a few. Unsurprisingly, the general public experienced the tragic effects of these issues. Dental caries (or tooth decay) are the number one chronic illness for both children and adults in the UK; creating a myriad of problems for our already underfunded and overrun NHS dentistry sector. 

Additionally, the most common reason for children aged 5-9 years old to visit the hospital is to have rotting teeth removed. Not only is this a largely preventable condition for children, it also costs the NHS millions per year to treat these children. 

Labour’s current manifesto provides hope for the future of NHS dentistry. Sir Keir Starmer plans to employ a ‘rescue plan’ for dentistry in the UK, creating more than 700,000 urgent dental appointments and recruiting new NHS dentists in areas of the country that need them the most. 

Labour plans to significantly change the way that dentistry functions in the UK, focusing on ‘prevention’ as a key policy. Increased preventative measures could be pivotal in eradicating the devastating tooth decay we see in our children and adults. Prevention at the forefront of dentistry encompasses appropriate screening for gum disease and mouth cancers, both of which are devastating when left untreated and unfound.

Furthermore, Labour are planning a new supervised ‘tooth-brushing scheme’ for 3-5 year olds, where staff in schools will oversee children brushing their teeth which should help to foster important habits in the younger generation and reduce pressure on the NHS. The program plans to provide additional support for areas with higher need; NHS dentists in these specific areas will also benefit from reduced cases of tooth decay and overall better oral hygiene in children. 

Labour’s aforementioned action plan for NHS dentistry is fully funded and will hopefully begin to steadily rebuild our dental system in the UK. 

References:
Labour’s plan to rescue NHS dentistry and provide 700,000 new appointments – The Labour Party
Dental Caries (Tooth Decay) | National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (nih.gov)

Blog written by: Alice D

Moderated by: Kirah R