DENTISTS have criticised government plans to get NHS dentistry “back on its feet,” saying the rollout of 700,000 extra urgent appointments pledged in its manifesto does not go far enough.

NHS England has instructed integrated care boards across the country to establish thousands of urgent appointments over the next year, starting in April.

These will be targeted at “dental deserts” and available for patients in pain, those with infections, or needing urgent repairs.

Patients can access the appointments through their dental practice or by calling NHS 111 if they do not have a regular dentist.

England’s chief dental officer Jason Wong said that the plan will “help make it quicker and easier for those most in need to be seen and treated on the NHS,” adding that incentives will encourage dentists to work in underserved areas.

Health minister Stephen Kinnock said the initiative is part of a wider effort to “end the misery” faced by those struggling to access NHS dental care.

Saying that NHS dentistry has been left broken after years of neglect, he promised that reforms would focus on prevention, staff retention, and making NHS work more appealing to dentists.

The move comes a week after chief medical officer Sir Chris Whitty told the Commons public accounts committee that NHS dentistry “is in a much weaker state than most other areas” of the health service.

But the British Dental Association (BDA) pointed out that the additional capacity would translate to just over two extra urgent appointments a month at each of the 24,200 dentists recorded last year as carrying out NHS services.

Based on analysis by the BDA, the total unmet need for NHS dentistry in England amounts to 13 million people, or one in four adults.

Shiv Pabary, chairman of the BDA’s general dental practice committee, said: “It’s progress, but government could have fired the starting gun on commissioning urgent care last summer.

“Ministers must now confront the failed contract that’s left millions with no options.”

To help fill gaps in coverage, new dentists are also being recruited in hard-to-staff areas under the plans, with a £20,000 “golden hello” incentive for those who agree to work in these locations.