9.5% decrease in adults seen by dentists in past two years

16.4m adults in England were seen for NHS dental treatment in the 24 months up to June 2022, according to NHS Dental Statistics, England 2021-221. 

This is a reduction of 9.5% compared to the 24 months up to June 2021, when 18.1m adults were seen2. It is a reduction of 25.3% compared to the 24 months up to June 2019, when 22.0m adults were seen3.

The report also shows that 5.6m children were seen in the 12 months up to June 20224. This is an increase of 42.1% compared to the 12 months up to June 2021 when 3.9m were seen. 

When comparing against the 12 months up to June 2019, the report shows a decrease of 20.2%, with 7.0m children seen.

In 2021-22, 26.4m courses of treatment5 were delivered by NHS dentists. This is an increase of 120.0% compared to the number delivered in 2020-21, which was 12.0m. It is a decrease of 33.6% compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 39.7m6.

In addition, 3.8m urgent courses of treatment were delivered in 2021-22. This is an increase of 5.7% compared to the number delivered in 2020-21 and an increase of 4.5% compared with the number delivered in 2018-19, which was 3.6m. 

The report contains information about dental activity7 including patients treated by NHS dentists and the number of patients seen within the maximum recommended gap between appointments. 

Dental practices were instructed to close for routine care and provide only urgent treatment on March 25, 2020, as part of COVID-19 restrictions8. As a result, the most recent reporting period for which NHS Dental Statistics are unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic was 2018-19. Comparisons against this period, as well as 2020-21, are made in the report.

Other data in the report includes:

•    The types of treatment provided 
•    The number of dentists performing NHS activity per 100,000 of population 

Read the full report 
NHS Dental Statistics, England 2021-22