NEC Health partners with the NHS Confederation on new report on the future of NHS dental care
The NHS Confederation has published a new briefing examining the mounting pressures facing NHS dental services across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and setting out a shared view from system leaders on the essential components of a sustainable, prevention-led model.
The report draws on insights from a roundtable held in October, where senior leaders from providers, commissioners, regulators, unions and patient groups came together to discuss the future of NHS dentistry.
NEC Software Solutions partnered with the NHS Confederation to support the roundtable. The session brought together perspectives from across the three nations for a constructive discussion focused on long-term solutions. This collaboration reflects NEC Health’s interest in supporting sector-wide conversations that help shape practical approaches to improving population oral health and reducing unnecessary pressure on the wider health system.
Five core principles emerged from the discussion, each forming part of a shared blueprint for system reform.
1. Honesty about what the NHS can realistically deliver
System leaders agreed that universal NHS dental access is not achievable within current resources. The report highlights the need for transparent prioritisation so that effort is focused on those at highest risk, with success measured through improved oral health outcomes rather than treatment volume.
2. Prevention first, with technology used to enhance not replace care
Participants emphasised the need to shift from a model based on urgent activity to one that prioritises early intervention, education and lifelong prevention. Digital tools such as AI triage and shared records can support this shift, but should complement face-to-face care and improve equity.
3. Oral health recognised as a strategic priority
The report makes clear that oral health should be embedded within wider system strategies rather than treated in isolation. Untreated oral disease contributes to avoidable pressure on urgent care, primary care and long-term condition management. Integrating oral health into population-health planning is viewed as essential to reducing this failure demand.
4. Access defined by local need not uniform activity targets
Access challenges differ across communities. Leaders called for more flexibility to design services that reflect local circumstances, including prevention-focused outreach, sessional contracting models and locally tailored commissioning approaches.
5. Making full use of the whole dental workforce
A sustainable model depends on strengthened neighbourhood health teams, better use of dental therapists and hygienists, and greater integration with primary and community services. This supports continuity of care and a more joined-up approach to the wider factors influencing oral health.
David East, Director for NEC Rego, took part in the roundtable. Speaking after the publication of the report, he said:
“The discussion brought real clarity to the pressures shaping dental services and the practical steps needed to improve care for those most at risk. The emphasis on prevention, better use of data and local flexibility aligns with many of the challenges we see across the system. I welcome the report and the constructive way leaders came together to focus on what is workable now.”
Reflecting further on the themes raised, David added:
“NEC Health already works with systems on several of the areas highlighted in the report, including improving visibility of need, supporting consistent decision-making and strengthening the information available to commissioners. NEC Rego is one part of this wider ecosystem, providing a structured digital approach to referral optimisation and giving services a clearer view of activity across pathways. Its relevance to the issues raised in the roundtable reflects our focus on supporting practical, system-led improvement.”
The report offers a clear direction for how dental services can evolve to improve access, strengthen prevention and provide more responsive, locally grounded models of care. As systems begin considering how these principles can be applied in practice, NEC Health will continue supporting conversations that translate shared priorities into workable improvements for both patients and clinicians.
You can read the full NHS Confederation report here.
For more information about NEC Rego and our wider work with dental services, visit our dedicated page. To speak with the NEC Health team, please get in touch.
