The Health and Social Care Committee of MPs has launched an inquiry to examine the extent to which the current NHS dental contract acts as disincentive to dentists from taking on new patients.
The inquiry follows a survey that showed 90% of practices across the UK were not accepting new adult NHS patients.
It will look at what incentives can be offered by the NHS to recruit and retain dental professionals and also explore the role of training.
MPs will explore the possible impact of changes to be introduced next April to make new Integrate Care Systems and Integrated Care Boards responsible for the provision of dental services.
They will ask what steps the government and NHS England should take to improve access to NHS dental services and what role ICSs should play in improving dental services in their local area?
Other subjects include how inequalities in accessing NHS dental services should be addressed, if the NHS dental contract needs further reform and what incentives should be offered by the NHS to recruit and retain dental professionals?
Health and Social Care Committee chairman Steve Brine MP said: “People resorting to DIY dentistry, even taking out their own teeth without anaesthetic or medical care are stories that should belong to another era yet such events are reported to be happening here today.
“Perhaps it’s not surprising when research shows that some parts of the country have become dental deserts and 90% of dental practices have turned away adults wanting to sign up for NHS services.
“We’re launching an inquiry to ask why dental treatment is so difficult to find and to establish what the government and NHS England must do to improve access and reduce such unnecessary pain and suffering.”
The committee it is inviting written submissions addressing any of the points with a deadline of 25 January 2023.