• UK recovers over £900 million from dentists in two years amid NHS care shortfalls

A British newspaper has reported that dentists in the UK have returned more than £900 million (around $1.1 billion) to the government over the past two years for failing to provide the care contracted under the NHS, with many prioritizing private patients instead.

This amount represents roughly £1 out of every £7 dentists received and comes at a time when over a fifth of the population struggles to get an appointment with an NHS dentist.

The government said the recovered funds are being reinvested to improve services, including efforts to increase the number of treatments and encourage dentists to work in areas with limited access. Financial incentives of up to £20,000 (around $24,000) have also been offered to attract dentists to underserved regions.

The British Dental Association explained that NHS payments are often too low, making some treatments a financial loss for dentists. According to the association, a dentist may lose around £7 ($9) for each new patient examination under the NHS.

The government is also planning a major overhaul of the NHS dental contract by the end of the parliamentary term to improve access to care and increase the number of treatments, while addressing the impact of the crisis on the most financially and socially vulnerable groups.