Belfast – Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has confirmed a £7 million investment in General Dental Services for the 2025/26 financial year. The funding will support key initiatives aimed at improving access to dental care and enhancing oral health services across Northern Ireland.
Speaking during a recent Assembly debate on dental care access, Minister Nesbitt outlined how the investment will be allocated, including the continued delivery of vital programs and financial support for dental practitioners.
Among the supported initiatives is the Enhanced Child Examination Scheme, which offers dental check-ups, tailored oral health advice, and fluoride treatments to children aged 0–10 who have not previously been registered with a dentist. Since its relaunch in June 2024, the scheme has already helped more than 37,000 newly registered children.
The investment will also sustain the 30% enhancement to fees paid to dentists for Health Service procedures such as fillings, extractions, and root canals. This measure, extended through 2025/26, is designed to encourage dentists to continue offering essential treatments to Health Service patients.
An additional £1.6 million will be directed toward dental practices that remain committed to providing Health Service care, helping to ease the operational pressures many practices face.
The Dental Access Scheme, launched in August 2023, will also continue. This program ensures unregistered patients with urgent oral health needs can access timely treatment. To date, it has benefited nearly 18,400 individuals and will remain in place through 2027.
In addition to these service-based investments, the Happy Smiles programme will receive expanded funding. Originally launched in 2016 to support oral health among nursery-age children in the 20% most deprived areas of Northern Ireland, the initiative will now include Primary 1, 2, and 3 pupils in the same communities.
Minister Nesbitt emphasized the importance of the funding package, saying it reflects a commitment to both maintaining and improving dental services for children and vulnerable groups.
“The health and wellbeing of our youngest citizens must remain a priority,” Nesbitt said. “This investment helps ensure early intervention and equitable access to dental care across Northern Ireland.”
