The Long-Term Dental Plan lays out the key areas of focus and priority commissioning activities for the ICB over the coming two to five years to carry on the work of stabilising and improving patient access to NHS dental services.

Sadie Parker, director of primary care at NHS Norfolk and Waveney, said: "We are really pleased to be able to progress with our longer-term plans to develop and improve NHS dental services for our people and communities.

"We know how challenging it is for patients to access NHS dental services in Norfolk and Waveney, and through our Long-Term Dental Plan we are totally committed to doing all we can to stablise and improve dental care so that people can access the treatment they really need."

The Dental Long-Term Plan was approved at the Primary Care Commissioning Committee on 7 May alongside a Dental Workforce Plan and programme investment of £1.2m to recruit, retain and support those working in the profession.

Publication of the Long-Term Dental Plan comes after the ICB took on delegated commissioning responsibility for NHS dental services from NHS England in April 2023, and against a national backdrop of primary care workforce shortages and increasing patient demand for services.