To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria he uses for defining whether an area is a dental desert; and in what areas dentistry graduates will receive golden hellos.
Answered on
10 January 2025
‘Dental desert’ is a term used colloquially to describe areas struggling with access to National Health Service dentistry. There are a range of metrics which can be used to assess dental access.
The responsibility for commissioning primary care dentistry to meet the needs of the local population is delegated to integrated care boards (ICBs) across England.
ICBs have started to recruit posts through the Golden Hello scheme. This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most for three years. Dental practices in specific areas, determined locally, were invited by their ICBs to express interest in participating in the scheme and notified of the outcome of their application via their ICB. Further information on the process can be found in guidance issued by NHS England, which is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/dental-recruitment-incentive-scheme-2024-25/
As of 16 December 2024, 706 Expressions of Interest have been received of which 320 have been approved for participation in the Dental Recruitment Incentive Scheme. 212 posts have been advertised, with 19 dentists commenced in post.