Staffordshire NHS Dental Services Report
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This report from Healthwatch Staffordshire (September 2025) addresses ongoing challenges with NHS dental access in the region and outlines improvements being made.
Key Problems Identified
After receiving over 300 public concerns about dental access, the main issues include:
- Patients removed from dental practice lists after COVID-19 without notification
- No NHS dentists accepting new patients in many areas
- High costs forcing people to use private care
- Confusion about NHS charges and eligibility for free treatment
- Health inequalities, particularly affecting people with disabilities and those in deprived areas
The Local Dental Plan
The Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Integrated Care Board has developed a plan to:
- Provide an additional 16,190 urgent dental appointments annually
- Increase payment rates to NHS dental practices from April 2025 to attract dentists
- Target areas with poorest oral health identified through a Dental Services Equity Audit
- Expand oral health improvement programs for children and vulnerable adults
Current Access Rates
In the 12 months to March 2024, only 61% of children and 43% of adults in Staffordshire were seen by NHS dentists.
How to Access Care
- For routine or emergency dental care: call 0300 123 0981 or NHS 111
- Search for NHS dentists online
- Urgent treatment costs £27.40 (unless exempt)
NHS Treatment Charges (September 2025)
- Band 1 (£27.40): Examination, X-rays, scaling
- Band 2 (£75.30): Fillings, extractions, root canals
- Band 3 (£326.70): Crowns, bridges, dentures
Free treatment is available for children, pregnant women, those in their first year after childbirth, and people on certain benefits.
Do you have an urgent dental problem or need help finding an NHS dentist?
Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Dental Advice Line 0300 1230981