Skip to main content

Written question asked by Lewis Cocking (Conservative) on Wednesday, 4 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 March 2026. It was answered by Stephen Kinnock (Labour) on Wednesday, 18 March 2026 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Dentistry: Training

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the allocation of new dental school places.

Answer

The Government will provide £11 million per annum at steady state, to increase the number of new dental school places by 50 each year. This is the first sustained expansion of domestic dental training places since 2007 and will take effect from the 2027/28 academic year.

The Minister of State for Skills and I have written to the Chair of the Office for Students (OfS) to increase the maximum fundable limit for dental school places in England from 809 to 859 places. The OfS has statutory responsibility for allocating funding for dental school places. The Minister of State for Skills and I have asked that the OfS focuses the expansion on new dental schools approved by the General Dental Council, but which do not currently receive government funding for places.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
117934
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Dentistry Training
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk