The changes from April 2026, which are targeted at patients with the greatest needs, include embedding urgent treatment in the NHS dental contract so patients have access to urgent dental care when they need it and new treatment pathways for complex needs such as serious tooth decay and progressive gum disease.

Minister for care Stephen Kinnock said: ‘This is about putting patients first and supporting those with the greatest need, while backing our NHS dentists, making the contract more attractive and giving them the resources to deliver more.'

The DHSC said dental nurses will be encouraged to apply fluoride varnish to children's teeth to help maintain good oral health and staff will receive a fairer payment for applying fissure sealants to protect children's teeth from decay, in a shift towards preventing poor dental health.

Dental teams will also receive more support through annual reviews, learning and development, in addition to Government funding to support sick leave and guidance on NHS contractual terms and benefits in a bid to improve retention.

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said: ‘Dentists and their teams will welcome the Government's recognition that NHS dentistry needs reform and that patients with the greatest needs must be prioritised. These proposals move in the right direction.

‘Our dentistry members are clear that restoring access at scale will require more than adjustments to the existing contract. Without expanding capacity, enabling multidisciplinary teams, and shifting from activity-based incentives to prevention- and time-based care, the system risks managing scarcity rather than fixing it.

‘This is a necessary step, but it must be followed by deeper, structural reform of the dental contract if patients are to see real and lasting improvement.'