Dentistry: Labour Turnover
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS dentists have left NHS practice in each of the last five years.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock
National Health Service dental statistics identify dentists who performed NHS dental activity in a given financial year. Within these statistics a ‘leaver’ is defined as a performer who carried out NHS dental activity in the previous financial year but none in the following year. This data does not show whether a dentist has permanently left NHS practice, as a dentist may return in later years.
The following table shows the total number of dentists who have done some NHS work and the leavers each year from 2020/21 to 2024/25:
Financial year | Number of dentists performing NHS work | Leavers |
2020/21 | 23,733 | 2,342 |
2021/22 | 24,265 | 1,412 |
2022/23 | 24,151 | 2,002 |
2023/24 | 24,307 | 1,929 |
2024/25 | 24,655 | 1,865 |
Source: Dental statistics – England, 2024/25, NHS Business Services Authority
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →