What work is the Welsh Government doing with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to reduce the number of people on a waiting list for an NHS dentist?
We are working with the NHS to improve access to NHS dentistry, to reach a position where everyone who wants NHS care can receive it.
Health boards have the budgets and responsibility for the provision of NHS dental services in their local areas. However, the majority of dentists are independent, self-employed practitioners who can choose whether they want to provide NHS treatment or to provide private care.
Over the past 12 months, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has awarded £1.5m of NHS contracts across five practices, including a new practice in Connah’s Quay, which will open in December. A procurement exercise to allocate a further £5m annually concluded earlier this year. This re-investment of £6.5m will significantly improve access to NHS dentistry across North Wales.
As a result of our reforms to NHS dentistry since 2022, nearly 90,000 new patients have received an appointment for a full course of treatment in North Wales. A further 31,000 appointments for new patients to have urgent treatment have been delivered since April 2023.
The Dental Access Portal (DAP) was introduced in February 2025 to provide a single route of access to NHS dentistry, making access fairer and more equitable and removing the need for people to ring around multiple practices. People can register their details on the Dental Access Portal by following this link: Dental Access Portal - Digital Health and Care Wales
A major development is the introduction of a new NHS dental contract, which will come into force in April 2026. This is a significant change from the current contract – people will be seen on the basis of their health needs and not automatically every six months.