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.'

Dr Charlotte Eckhardt, dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England) said: ‘FDS welcomes the Government's focus on prioritising patients with the most urgent and complex needs, strengthening prevention in children's oral health, and supporting better use of the wider dental team. 

‘However, these interim changes cannot be considered as a long-term solution to the deepening workforce and access crisis in NHS dentistry. Without meaningful new investment and fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract, the current financial envelope and contractual framework will remain insufficient to deliver sustainable improvements in patient access.'