The NHS Business Services Authority report, which covers 2019/20 to 2024/25 NHS dental activity and workforce data, reveals that 35 million courses of treatment (COTs) were delivered in 2024/25 – a 4% increase from the previous year.
Child patient treatments saw particularly strong growth, with COTs increasing by 7% to 12 million, while adult patient treatments also rose by 2% to 23 million COTs.
The report shows that the dental workforce continued to expand, with 24,543 dentists providing NHS services in England, a 1.4% increase from 2023/24. This represents 42 dentists per 100,000 population, maintaining the same national ratio as the previous year.
Other key findings include:
- 73 million units of dental activity (UDAs) were delivered, with Band 1 treatments – including check-ups, examinations, x-rays and preventive advice – accounting for 29% of total UDAs
- Band 1 treatments made up over 60% of all COTs, whilst 10% were urgent
- 18 million adults received NHS dental care from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025, representing 40% of England's adult population. For children, 6.9 million patients were seen from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, covering 57% of the child population.
However, while treatment figures show positive trends, the report notes that dentist availability still varies significantly across different ICB areas in England.
