Dentists in England to be paid more for emergency NHS appointments

The government claims the changes mark ‘the first step towards a new era for NHS dentistry’. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

Dentists in England will be paid more to ensure patients have easier access to emergency appointments under government plans, but experts have expressed doubt that it will improve care.

The changes, which will be introduced from April next year, will include dentists being incentivised to provide emergency and complex treatments through the introduction of a standardised payment package, ministers said.