A £200m rescue package to increase access to NHS dentistry this year is not on track, the spending watchdog says.
The dental restoration plan was published by the Conservative government in February. Set a target of 1.5 million additional treatments in 2024-25..
To achieve this, dentists were offered increased payments for seeing NHS patients, as well as premium top-up payments of up to £50 for taking on new patients.
Mobile dental vans were also to be dispatched to target areas with the worst access.
But the National Audit Office says slow progress means those targets for this year will be missed.
It admits the general election is a factor, but says the new government must consider long-standing problems in NHS dentistry.
The target of increasing the number of treatments by 1.5 million to 37.1 million this year would leave the NHS below the level of activity seen in 2018-19.
And at the time it was published dentists criticized the lack of ambition, saying it would not do enough to encourage dentists to do more NHS work.
More than a fifth of dentists are believed to only practice privately.
The plan includes a £5 increase to £28 for each unit of NHS activity, as well as a premium payment of up to £50 to see patients who have not seen an NHS dentist for two years.
The NAO said that by September 2024, the number of dental practices taking on new NHS patients had increased, but this still did not lead to an increase in treatment beyond what would have been expected without additional payments.
The NAO also noted that no new dental vans were yet operational – these mobile units were seen as a key part of the solution to increasing access to areas with the most difficulties.
The plan also includes some long-term initiatives, including a £20,000 “Golden Hello” to recruit dentists to work in specific areas over three years, and Smile for Life – a tooth decay prevention scheme. Which is aimed at young children.
Sean Charlotte, of the British Dental Association, said the NAO report showed that further fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract was needed.
“We warned at the beginning that this rehabilitation project was not worthy of the title.
“Unfunded, ill-advised policies fail to reduce crisis killing millions.”
Louise Ansari, of patient watchdog Healthwatch England, said she agreed NHS dentistry urgently needed reform.
“Overall, the NAO portrays a delayed and confused effort.”
Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said the government had inherited a recovery plan that was “not fit for purpose” and would take further steps to improve access.
“This government is committed to rebuilding dentistry, but it will take time,” he added.