Less than half of Northern Ireland registered with a health service dentist

New data shows that just 49% of the population of Northern Ireland was registered with a health service dentist as of March 2026, with the British Dental Association (BDA) warning that these figures were the mark of a ‘disappearing service’.

Registration has plummeted since 2023 when it stood at 70% – the current lows have not been seen since 2009. In just one year, registration numbers dropped by 95,000 patients, a 9% reduction.

In contrast, figures recorded at the same time in Scotland estimate that 95.1% of its population is registered with an NHS dentist. This disparity is likely due to Scotland’s formal registration system which is not in place throughout the rest of the UK. Registration levels in England and Wales stand at roughly 40% each.

The data also revealed stark variation in registration levels between different areas of Northern Ireland. Fermanagh and Omagh had the lowest adult registration rate at 30%, though its child registration rate was actually higher than the national average at 70%.

Children in more deprived areas were found to be 18% less likely to be registered with a health service dentist than those in the least deprived regions, with levels dropping to 55% in the poorest areas.

These findings were released by the Business Services Organisation (BSO) today (18 June) as part of its General Dental Services Statistics.

How many health service dentists are there in Northern Ireland?

The report found that there were 351 dental practices and 1,180 dentists registered to provide health service treatment in Northern Ireland. This equates to 61 dentists per 100,000 residents.

The authors estimate that 94% of the population of Northern Ireland lives within five miles of a health service dental provider. However, they warn that proximity does not necessarily equate to access.

In fact, the number of patients seen had decreased by 4% since the previous year. The number of dentists in the service had also decreased by 2% in the same period, the first reduction since 2021.

However, the average cost of dental services per registered patient rose by 11% to £118.70 for a total national cost of £134.4 million.

‘The writing really is on the wall’

In April, Northern Ireland health minister Mike Nesbitt confirmed the full details of an £8 million investment in general dental services, including six additional Dental Foundation Training (DFT) places and a new emergency dental clinic.

However, the BDA warned that the BSO data showed the industry is ‘struggling to maintain its sustainability in the face of rising costs and wholly inadequate fees’.

Ciara Gallagher, chair of the BDA’s Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘New figures show that the writing really is on the wall for health service dentistry in Northern Ireland.

‘The minister knows what needs to be done. Underfunded and overstretched, practices are on the brink and cannot be expected to continue delivering care at a loss.’

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