The latest NHS dental statistics show that 1.3 million more courses of treatment were delivered in England this year – but this is still 10% down on averages before the pandemic.
Published today (28 August), the NHS dental statistics 2024/25 provides details of dental activity and dental workforce data for NHS dental treatment in England.
There were 35 million courses of treatment (COTs) delivered, 4% more than 2023/24. In 2024/25, COTs for adult patients increased by 2% to 23 million, and by 7% for child patients to 12 million. More than 60% of the total COTs delivered were for band 1 treatments, and 10% were for urgent treatments.
There were also 73 million units of dental activity (UDAs) delivered, a less than 1% increase since 2023/24. Band 1 was also the largest treatment band by UDAs, with 29% of the total UDAs for 2024/25.
There were 18 million adult patients seen in the 24 months to 31 March 2025. In the 12 months to 31 March 2025, there were 6.9 million child patients seen. This was 40% of the national mid-year adult population for England in 2024, and 57% of the mid-year population for children.
There were 24,543 dentists in England with NHS activity – marking a 1.4% increase compared to 2023/24. The number of dentists per 100,000 population in England was 42 in 2024/25, the same as 2023/24. However, the number of dentists per 100,000 population varies across England by ICB.
NHS dentistry ‘has not bounced back’
According to the British Dental Council (BDA), the new data ‘underlines the need for urgency and ambition to fix NHS dentistry’.
The professional body states that despite an increase in last year’s NHS dental treatment delivery, it still marks a 10% drop on the averages from prior to lockdown (a 39.6 million average from 2016/17-2018/19).
BDA chair Eddie Crouch said: ‘Half a decade on from lockdown and NHS dentistry has not bounced back.
‘It’s a stark reminder that warm words and unambitious plans won’t restore care to millions. The answer remains real reform wedded to fair funding.’
You can read the full statistics here.
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