In the 2024 election the Lib Dems went from 11 to 72 seats in the House of Commons, the highest number achieved by a UK Liberal party in over a century. Since then, opinion polls have shown the Lib Dems and Conservatives getting similar scores.
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Complain to many politicians that you have a leaky bucket and they will promise to increase the water pressure. Further evidence of this mentality comes from Lincoln with the announcement that The University of Lincoln has been granted funding of £1.5m to establish a facility to run courses in dental hygiene and therapy.
Read more: A Dental School for Every City – Lincoln Joins the Club
The annual LDC conference may have appeared to those delivering NHS care, as a triumph of hope over experience. The motions, and depending on the stage of the electoral cycle, visiting ministers may be upbeat, but each year for the last two decades, returning delegates have reported on a service under increasing pressure.
The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) is urging dentists across England to take part in a new nationwide survey to support the government‘s long-term dental reform programme.
Read more: Act Now: DHSC Survey To Inform NHS Dental Contract Reform
From a release issued ahead of this year‘s LDC Conference, GDPUK understands that Minister of State at the Department of Health & Social Care, Stephen Kinnock, is to provide an ‘update‘ on dental negotiations.
Read more: LDC Conference 2025: Health Minister To Update On Dental Negotiations
The Dental Schools Council (DSC), represents the UK‘s dental schools.
June 2nd 2025 sees the publication of their report "Fixing NHS Dentistry." The report, which is endorsed by all UK dental schools, outlines key recommendations to deal with the current access crisis.
Read more: Dental Schools Offer Unaffordable Solutions to the Access Crisis
The GDC have been listening to the profession, if a news feature on their website accurately reflects current thinking at our regulator. In an acknowledgement that would have been unimaginable not long ago, the piece goes as far as referring to, “the current climate of fear within dentistry.”
Read more: GDC Acknowledges 'Climate of Fear' Among Registrants
GDPUK‘s Guy Tuggle looks on as MPs discuss NHS dentistry.
A gulf between political ambitions for NHS dentistry and those of the profession may be opening up. While the BDA continue discussions on the basis of providing of a comprehensive service for all, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) may have other goals.