NHS dental reforms – what does it mean for people with epilepsy?
The Government has announced reforms to the NHS Dental contract which will be introduced from April next year. This follows a consultation with the sector and the public that ran between July and August 2025.
The main focus is on prioritising patients with the most urgent dental needs and those requiring complex treatments. By embedding urgent treatment in the NHS dental contract and introducing new ways of how dentists charge for treatment, patients will be able to secure a single comprehensive package of treatment with a dentist over a longer period which could save a patient up to £225 in fees.
Nicola Swanborough, Head of External Affairs at Epilepsy Society said: “We welcome this much-needed overhaul which prioritises treatment for patients with urgent and complex dental requirements. This is good news for people with epilepsy, who can have issues with their teeth and gums because of their anti- seizure medication.
“However, for those people who damage their teeth during a seizure, we are still urgently calling on the Government to introduce a medical exemption. Our Fix It for Free campaign has been raising this issue persistently in recent years and we have countless examples of people who are unable to eat properly due to ill-fitting dentures, who are maxing out their credit cards or relying on family and friends to pay for private dental treatment. One man is even planning on drawing down part of his pension to get his teeth fixed in Turkey.
“While offering a comprehensive package for complex treatment is a good step forward, it doesn’t take into account the significant number of people, up to 100,000, who damage their teeth as a result of their seizures. While people can be treated in hospital for a broken bone, they are expected to pay for dental treatment, which can quickly become too expensive when requiring multiple visits to the dentist. It’s not simply cosmetic, having broken or missing teeth can affect your speech and more importantly your confidence.”
Minister for Care, Stephen Kinnock MP said: “Now we are tackling the deep-rooted problems so patients can have faith in NHS dentistry – these changes will make it easier for anyone with urgent dental needs to get NHS treatment, preventing painful conditions from spiralling into avoidable hospital admissions.
This is about putting patients first and supporting those with the greatest need, while backing our NHS dentists, making the contract more attractive, and giving them the resources to deliver more. “
See more information about the dental reforms at: Major boost for millions of NHS dental patients - GOV.UK