Only 44% of people in Wales are currently able to access dentistry through the NHS, with recruitment and retention of dentists a key issue.
To promote the renewal of dental services, and as a critical step to ensuring that affordability is not a barrier to accessing oral health care, we will re-examine the contract for NHS dentistry, and introduce a new duty for health boards to assess local dentistry needs and take all reasonable steps to secure and maintain sufficient dental staffing levels to meet those needs.
Healthcare professionals who train in Wales are more likely to stay in Wales. That’s why Plaid Cymru has long championed Bangor and Aberystwyth Universities’ proposal to open a new Dental School, and we will support it in government.