NHS Dental Plan opens new patient slots from June 1

Q: What is changing with NHS dental appointments from June 1?

From June 1, 2026 , NHS dental practices in England can receive an extra payment for seeing certain patients who have been out of NHS dental care for at least two years. The aim is to make it more worthwhile for practices to open appointments to people who have struggled to get registered or seen. It is not a payment to patients and it does not guarantee every practice will have new NHS slots.

Q: How do I try to get one of the new NHS dentist appointments?

Start by searching the NHS Find a Dentist service using your postcode, town or city. Then contact practices directly before travelling or filling in forms. Ask clearly: “Are you taking new NHS patients who have not had an NHS dental appointment for two years?” If you need urgent care and cannot find a practice, use NHS 111 online or call 111 .

Q: Will the appointment be free if I get accepted as a new NHS dental patient?

Not automatically. Normal NHS dental charges still apply unless you are exempt, such as some children, pregnant women, people who have had a baby in the past 12 months, or people receiving certain qualifying benefits. Before booking, ask the practice which NHS charge band is likely to apply and take proof of any exemption.

By hiyastar.co.uk Health Desk

NHS dental practices in England are due to get a new payment incentive from June 1, 2026, to see patients who have not had an NHS dental appointment for two years. The Department of Health and Social Care says the wider Dental Recovery Plan is intended to fund 2.5 million additional appointments and improve access for patients who have struggled to find NHS care.

The measure is known as the new patient premium. Under the NHS Dental Recovery Plan, dentists can receive an extra payment of up to £50 for taking on eligible patients who have been outside NHS dental care for at least two years.

How to search for an NHS dentist taking new patients

Patients should start with the NHS Find a Dentist service on nhs.uk. The service lets users search by postcode, town or city and check whether a practice is accepting new NHS patients.

Before travelling or booking, patients should contact the practice directly because availability can change quickly. Practices may also limit new NHS appointments to certain days, urgent cases, children, or patients who meet the two-year rule.

Useful steps are:

Search for nearby practices using NHS Find a Dentist.
Check the practice listing for new NHS patient status.
Phone or use the practice website to confirm current appointment availability.
Ask whether the practice is taking patients who have not seen an NHS dentist for two years.
If urgent treatment is needed and no practice is available, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

NHS dental charges in England for 2026/27

NHS dental charges apply in bands, depending on the treatment needed. Some patients, including eligible children, pregnant women, people who have had a baby in the past 12 months, and people on certain benefits, may be exempt.

NHS dental band	What it usually covers	2026/27 charge in England
Urgent treatment	Urgent care such as pain relief or a temporary filling	£28.20
Band 1	Examination, diagnosis, advice, X-rays and scale and polish if clinically needed	£28.20
Band 2	Band 1 care plus treatment such as fillings, root canal work or tooth removal	£77.40
Band 3	Band 1 and 2 care plus crowns, dentures, bridges and other laboratory work	£335.10

Patients should confirm the charge with the practice before treatment starts, especially if their treatment plan changes after an examination.

Mobile dental vans and the backlog

The recovery plan also includes mobile dental vans for areas where access is weakest. The North East and the South West are expected to see some of the highest uptake of the scheme, reflecting pressure in communities where patients have reported long searches for NHS dental appointments.

The 2.5 million additional appointment target is significant, but it will not remove local shortages immediately. Appointment availability will depend on how many practices participate, staff capacity, and whether local demand is mainly routine, urgent or complex care.

What patients should do next

From June 1, patients who have not seen an NHS dentist for two years should check NHS Find a Dentist regularly and contact practices directly. If a practice says it is not currently accepting new NHS patients, ask when its list may be reviewed and whether urgent NHS slots are available.

Patients with swelling, uncontrolled bleeding, trauma, or severe pain should seek urgent advice through NHS 111 rather than waiting for a routine new patient slot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is changing with NHS dental appointments from June 1?

From June 1, 2026, NHS dental practices in England can receive an extra payment for seeing certain patients who have been out of NHS dental care for at least two years. The aim is to make it more worthwhile for practices to open appointments to people who have struggled to get registered or seen. It is not a payment to patients and it does not guarantee every practice will have new NHS slots.

How do I try to get one of the new NHS dentist appointments?

Start by searching the NHS Find a Dentist service using your postcode, town or city. Then contact practices directly before travelling or filling in forms. Ask clearly: “Are you taking new NHS patients who have not had an NHS dental appointment for two years?” If you need urgent care and cannot find a practice, use NHS 111 online or call 111.

Who is most likely to benefit from the new NHS dental slots?

The change is aimed mainly at people in England who have not had an NHS dental appointment for two years or more. That could include adults who lost access after moving house, families stuck on waiting lists, or patients who have relied on private or emergency care because they could not find an NHS dentist. Local availability will still depend on whether nearby practices choose to offer appointments.

Will the appointment be free if I get accepted as a new NHS dental patient?

Not automatically. Normal NHS dental charges still apply unless you are exempt, such as some children, pregnant women, people who have had a baby in the past 12 months, or people receiving certain qualifying benefits. Before booking, ask the practice which NHS charge band is likely to apply and take proof of any exemption.

What should I do next if no local NHS dentist is accepting patients?

Keep checking the NHS dentist search tool because availability can change quickly after June 1. Call practices rather than relying only on online listings, and ask whether they keep a waiting list for new NHS patients. For pain, swelling, bleeding, trauma, or infection symptoms, do not wait for a routine slot: contact NHS 111 for urgent dental advice.

Source: Department of Health and Social Care

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source trail

This article is based on the Department of Health and Social Care Dental Recovery Plan and NHS patient guidance on finding dental services.

Checks

Confirmed the recovery plan target of 2.5 million additional appointments.
Confirmed the plan includes a new patient premium for patients outside NHS dental care.
Used NHS service guidance for patient search and urgent care routes.

Department of Health and Social Care Check latest NHS dental access updates