We've now lost over a year's worth of dentistry – 40 million appointments – and MPs, armed with evidence from members, pressed Minister Maria Caulfield for a concrete plan.
The stories they told reflected the reality colleagues are facing on the frontline, overstretched and underfunded, with many now looking for a way out.
What we are still not seeing from the government is any real sense of urgency. Reform can't wait if the last NHS dentist has left the building. But across Parliament and the press we're winning the argument and the pressure is mounting.
Here's what you need to know:
Momentum is building
Just last week the House of Lords debated an amendment – put forward by the BDA – placing a duty on the Secretary of State to report annually to Parliament on the state of NHS dentistry. A short debate on support for the dental sector followed in the Commons shortly thereafter.
Encouragingly, when a general debate on the future of the NHS took place a few days ago, half of the MPs taking part spoke about NHS dentistry – a sign that at long last, when wider health system is discussed dental services are no longer side-lined and overlooked.
All this recent activity has culminated in a major debate on NHS dentistry which we helped to secure on 10 February. Over three hours 25 MPs outlined the crisis we're facing, speaking directly to the challenges our members now face.
A closing date for UDAs
As Father of the House Sir Peter Bottomley neatly noted, it's time for an urgent approach.
"When we meet in six months' time, let us be able to say that significant improvements have been made and that more are coming," he said.
"Then, perhaps in three or four years' time, we will not have to have these discussions."
Dentists do not want to be chasing these dental activity targets - that is highly stressful and demoralising.
MPs from both sides of the House stressed not just the need, but the urgency of reforming the dental contract calling the current system "dreadful" and "absolutely absurd".
Duncan Baker MP summarised it well: "Dentists do not want to be chasing these dental activity targets - that is highly stressful and demoralising. It is the lack of urgency in helping them that is the real root cause of the problem."
Sponsor of the debate Judith Cummins MP reiterated the key point: "The process has been under way since 2011. It is simply no longer good enough to say, 'We're working on it'."
"It is a problem that urgently needs tackling, not kicking further into the long grass," insisted Shadow Health Minister Karin Smyth MP.
The message from Peter Dowd MP echoes what I've heard from countless colleagues: "No more excuses, no more prevarication, no more procrastination, no more pretext or self-exoneration. The Government need to pull their finger out".
Despite pressure from both government and opposition MPs the Minister has failed to name the date when the 2006 contract will end.
The Minister has rightly described the contract as perverse. But it is not enough to recognise the plain flaws in the current system. This profession needs to know when it will end.
Fair funding
MPs from all parties underlined the chronic underfunding of the sector.
"The situation in dentistry can be likened to a house built on shallow and poor foundations," argued co-sponsor of the debate Peter Aldous MP. "The earthquake of Covid has led to that house falling down".
"Practices cannot increase the number of patients they are seeing on promises alone," echoed Wera Hobhouse MP.
"The bottom line is funding. The Government must provide adequate resources as a matter of urgency to reverse the alarming decline of NHS dentistry and guarantee its long-term sustainability."
The chronic lack of support for dentists now and prior to the pandemic is taking its toll.
Tan Dhesi MP added: "The chronic lack of support for dentists now and prior to the pandemic is taking its toll. We cannot allow Government to use Covid as a smokescreen for what was already a decimated profession."
"We welcome the £50 million injection, but it ignores the wider structural issues affecting dentistry. It will fund less than 1% of the 40 million appointments we have lost since the start of the pandemic; it is a mere drop in the ocean," argued Shadow Health Minister Karin Smyth MP.
After a decade of savage cuts, we need long-term investment to rebuild and meaningfully reform this service.
A service where dentists want to work
A number of MPs stressed the impact of the Government's policies on dentists' morale and mental health.
Rachael Maskell MP argued: "Putting more pressure on dentists will make them more stressed and more sick, while also heaping more stress on their colleagues as they take up the slack."
The current crisis will not improve unless we make NHS dentistry a place where people want to work.
Wera Hobhouse MP added: "The current crisis will not improve unless we make it viable for dentists to provide NHS treatments and make NHS dentistry a place where people want to work. Dentists in my constituency have told me that they want to provide NHS treatment but just cannot make it viable under the current conditions."
Nearly 1000 dentists left NHS dentistry in England last year, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.
MPs came armed with survey evidence from members across England. Two thirds of dentists indicated they are set to reduce their NHS commitment, with more than a third stating they plan to go fully private in the next year. Less than half are confident their practice will continue to provide any NHS services from April 2022.
To halt the exodus we've told the Minister we need to see urgent and meaningful change by April, with fundamental reform to follow in 2023.
Real long-term change, not quick fixes
The problem isn't the number of dentists we have, we just don't have enough willing to work under a broken system.
Some MPs suggested importing dentists might prove a silver bullet. For us that's painting over the cracks.
The problem isn't the number of dentists we have, we just don't have enough willing to work under a broken system.
There are over 42,000 dentists currently on the General Dental Council's official register, up 5% on 2018 levels. Rather than looking abroad it's imperative to develop a service that encourages UK graduates to view the NHS as a place to build a career.
Much like the pledge of £50 million in time-limited funding, we need real change not more quick fixes.
"We do not want to just go away, pat ourselves on the back and say that we have had a great debate. We want meaningful progress," summed up debate sponsor Peter Aldous MP.
We couldn't agree more. This debate was important to highlight the frustrations of the profession and our patients. But now we need action. Our team will be keeping the pressure up until we secure the change members need.