Sep
20
Local NHS dental services - an update
Author: Chloe Smith, Updated: 20 September 2023 15:31
I am pleased to see that the local NHS are making progress with their dental offer since taking on dental commissioning from NHS England in April 2023. The ICB has published their
short-term dental plan to help stabilise dental services in Norfolk and Waveney, and to begin to improve access to dental services.
You can view the ICB's full dental plan here:
Improving access to NHS dentistry is one of the Government's key priorities for the health service. Dental services in many parts of England have been recovering, but I appreciate there is much more progress to be made locally, and I am working hard to ensure constituents can get the care they need.
The Government will shortly be publishing a plan which will aim to increase access to NHS dentistry. Discussions are also taking place between NHS England, the British Dental Association and other stakeholders with a view to reforming the NHS dental contract so that dentists are better incentivised to take on more NHS work.
Additionally, I am strongly supporting the University of East Anglia's bid for a dental development centre in Norwich, which would attract new dentists, trainee dentists and dental technicians to the city.
You can read about the UEA's bid here:
How to find a dentist and what to do if you need urgent care
If you need emergency dental treatment out of hours, call your dentist as their voicemail may advise where to get Out of Hours treatment.
You can also call
NHS 111 to find an out-of-hours dental service near you.
Remember, you can travel to see a dentist outside the region if this is convenient for you.
Updated 20 September 2023
Chloe Smith