The Office for Students (OfS) has published guidance from the Secretary of State for Education setting out the Strategic Priorities Grant funding for 2026-7 and its allocation for universities. It has imposed targeted cuts to funding for clinical academics, advising that the OfS will no longer allocate this longstanding funding for clinical consultants’ pay, senior academic general practitioners’ pay and NHS pension scheme compensation.
This decision poses a real threat to the sustainability of the dental academic workforce. Since 2024, the number of clinical teachers has reduced by 25%, professors by 17.6%, and lecturers by 13.3%. At the same time, this workforce is now expected to train an additional 50 dentists per year from 2027.
“This decision poses an existential threat to a dental academic workforce already in decline and struggling to meet demand,” warns Petros Mylonas, Chair of the Dental Academic Staff Committee.
"Ministers must urgently reconsider this before permanent damage is done to the profession and future dental workforce."
“The Government says it wants more dentists, better access to care, and a stronger NHS workforce. None of these ambitions are achievable without the senior clinical academic workforce to train the next generation."
A new administration is about to form, and we remain clear the next Government will need to learn the critical value of these teachers, if it stands any chance of delivering on its past promises.