The dental team could benefit from a massive injection of cash into NHS dentistry, after the government's announcement that it is to invest an extra £368 million in NHS dentistry, recruit 1,000 more NHS dentists by October 2005 and reform the existing dental system.

In a written House of Commons statement, the Government asserts it will fund 170 extra undergraduate dental training places in England from October 2005 and revenue costs for this will reach £29m by 2010/11 with a capital investment of £80m over four years to support this expansion. It claims that by 2005/6, NHS dentistry will receive extra funding of over £250m a year and in recognition of the additional work and training dentists and their practice staff will need to prepare for changes, an extra £9 million will be provided to help dental practices prepare.

Reforms will be introduced to modernise the dentistry profession for the 21st century through a new dentists contract making it possible for them to spend more time with patients and encourage preventative care, using the skills of the entire dental team more efficiently with new roles for hygienists and dental nurses. Local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) will use the £1.6 billion devolved budget to ensure that local expenditure on dentistry is sustained. The changes, which form the biggest reform since the service began in 1948, are designed to make dental services properly integrated with the rest of the NHS and aim to provide better access to services and an improved patient experience, according to John Reid, Secreatary of State for Health.