New NHS Dental Access Portal launched across Wales

A new online service to help people find an NHS dentist more easily is being rolled out across Wales, aiming to streamline access and provide a clearer picture of demand for routine dental care.

The Dental Access Portal allows people to register their interest in receiving NHS dental treatment, with health boards allocating available places as appointments become available.

Jeremy Miles, Health Secretary for Wales, said the portal addresses long-standing difficulties in accessing NHS dentistry. “Access to NHS dentistry is not where we or the public want it to be,” he said. “This new service will help people who may not have seen a dentist for some time get access to routine NHS appointments.”

Since its trial launch in Powys, thousands of people have already signed up and been added to a waiting list for NHS dental treatment. Health boards will manage these lists and allocate appointments as capacity allows.

Clearer View of Demand

The portal, managed by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW), offers a centralised platform for people to register themselves or their dependents for routine NHS dental care. Applicants must be aged 16 or over—though parents or guardians can register children under 16—and meet eligibility criteria, including living in Wales for at least six months of the year or being registered with a Welsh GP.

Sam Hall, director of primary care, community, and mental health digital services at DHCW, said the portal makes the registration process simpler and fairer. “The development of the Dental Access Portal means we now have a national platform that can provide a clearer picture of demand for routine NHS Wales dental services,” he explained.

“Allowing people to enrol themselves or those they care for using one online system simplifies and makes fairer the process of registering an interest with an NHS dentist for everyone in Wales.”

Positive Results from the Powys Trial

Powys Teaching Health Board was the first to trial the new service. Its dental director, Warren Tolley, described the experience as “extremely positive”.

“The interface is very user-friendly, allowing people to quickly enter their details, and the admin function has made allocating people to a dental practice quick and easy,” said Mr Tolley.

Mr Miles added that consolidating information into one system will bring significant benefits for both the public and health boards. “For the public, it will remove the need for them to have to contact multiple practices, providing an equitable and fairer system of access to all,” he said.

People who are already patients at an NHS dental practice are encouraged to contact their practice directly for routine or urgent appointments. Those without an NHS dentist can apply online through the portal and will be contacted when an appointment becomes available.

For urgent dental treatment, the NHS 111 Wales website provides further information.