The NHS in Gloucestershire has been working hard to give its residents better access to NHS dentistry and there are now more appointments available across the county and plans for a new Dental Access Centre.
In line with the Government pledge to roll out extra urgent dental appointments, NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB) has confirmed that it is continuing to increase the number of urgent appointments available each week at clinics across the county, including on weeknights and at weekends.
Currently, 140 urgent appointments are offered on average each week with plans in place to increase this number further by the end of March 2026.
Patients can access these urgent dental appointments by contacting NHS 111. They will then be triaged by dental nurses in the local urgent dental care triage team. Appointments can be accessed by people from any part of the county.
As part of its commitment to improve access to NHS dentistry, the ICB also now commissions over 270 appointments on average each week across the county to support patients who have had an urgent dental appointment and require further treatment, but do not have a dentist.
These appointments (stabilisation appointments) may include a full examination and follow-up dental treatment to support someone’s oral health to help ensure they do not need another urgent dental appointment soon. Patients will be referred following their urgent dental appointment if they need this.
Further demonstrating this commitment, the ICB is working closely with local dentists, with help from patient representatives, to make more services available at practices across the county.
The ICB is also planning to create a new Dental Access Centre in Gloucester City, a part of the county where there are high levels of deprivation.
Working with Gloucestershire County Council, the ICB is developing plans for a dental surgery consisting of seven individual treatment rooms at Quayside House.
The Centre will provide daytime, evening and weekend urgent care appointments for patients alongside appointments to stabilise dental health with follow-up appointments where needed. These appointments will be accessible via NHS 111.
The Centre will also be expected to apply to be a Dental Foundation training practice, meaning it will provide mentorship and support to a newly qualified dentist working there.
Subject to successful contract negotiations and building works, it is anticipated that the Centre will be up and running by summer 2026.
Christina Worle, Dental Strategy Clinical Lead at NHS Gloucestershire, said:
“We’re seeing real momentum in Gloucestershire when it comes to improving access to NHS dental care. The expansion of urgent and stabilisation appointments is making a tangible difference for our patients.
The plans for the new Dental Access Centre are a positive step forward, offering extended urgent care and targeted support for those who need it most.
We acknowledge that there is much more to do to ensure that everyone can access dental care, but it’s encouraging to see such strong investment in both services and training that will help secure the future of NHS dentistry in the county.”
Additional Information
Dental interventions are measured through Units of Dental Activity (UDA).
The ICB has increased the value of each UDA in Gloucestershire. Going beyond the national minimum of £28, the ICB offers dental practices that achieve their contracted terms, as well as those achieving a certain percentage of their contract and who agreed to an increase in dental activity, £30 for each intervention.
Dental practices in Gloucestershire are currently achieving 86% of contracted UDAs compared to a South West average of 72%.