The British Dental Association (BDA) has welcomed the wide range of political support calling for sustainable funding to underpin the rebuild of NHS dentistry in England.
In an open letter, over 40 MPs from both sides of the House of Commons have followed the recent call from the BDA and Healthwatch England in calling on Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the treasury, to ensure the coming budget and spending review put the building blocks in place for a sustainable recovery following the pandemic.
The letter states, “it is crucial that resources are in place to ensure the recovery, underpin promised reform, and guarantee the long-term sustainability of the service our constituents rely on.”
Over 30 million NHS appointments have been lost since lockdown, but not a penny of the trailed billions for the NHS recovery are currently earmarked for primary care dentistry.
Led by Yvette Cooper MP, the message is backed by both Harriet Harman and Sir Peter Bottomley, mother and father of the house, and MPs from across the political spectrum and every region of England.
Eddie Crouch, BDA chair, said,"The breadth of voices here reflects the depth of the crisis facing families across England.
"Providing the funds to rebuild a decent NHS dental service isn't a partisan issue.
"The Treasury has a choice, and investment here can offer a brighter future for millions of patients."