Top dental surgeon: “tooth decay among children is an entirely avoidable public health failure”

New figures published today have revealed that tooth decay continues to overtake other common childhood conditions, including acute tonsillitis, as the leading cause of hospital admissions among 5- to 9-year-olds in England, as four in ten children did not see an NHS dentist last year.

The data, published by NHS England, showed that 21,787 children aged 5 to 9 were admitted to hospital with tooth decay in 2025/2026, compared to 11,511 children admitted for acute tonsillitis.

The number of 5- to 9-year-olds admitted to hospital due to decay has also risen slightly when compared to the previous year.

The figures come as NHS dental statistics show that 7.17 million children were seen by an NHS dentist in the 12 months to March 2026 - equivalent to 60% of the child population in England. This means four in ten children did not see an NHS dentist in the past year. 

The government has previously said that as many as 70 children a day undergo tooth extractions due to tooth decay. 

These latest figures paint a stark picture of children’s oral health in England and highlight the urgent need for better prevention and improved access to NHS dental care.

The Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) is calling on the government to deliver fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract, with a stronger focus on prevention, improving access to NHS dentistry, and supporting the recruitment and retention of the dental workforce.

Professor Martyn Cobourne, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (FDS) at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England), said:

“This is an entirely avoidable public health failure. Tooth decay is preventable, yet thousands of children are still ending up in hospital every year for treatment that could have been avoided through good oral health habits and access to an NHS dentist. No child should have to suffer pain, miss school or undergo a hospital procedure because they cannot get the care they need.

“Parents and carers can help children develop good oral health habits from an early age. This includes ensuring children brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, attend regular dental check-ups where possible, and limit their consumption of sugary food and drinks. But maintaining good oral health also depends on being able to access routine dental care, and too many families are still struggling to secure an NHS dental appointment when they need one.

“Hospitals should not be the first place that a child encounters dental care. The government has committed to fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract. If the government is serious about fixing NHS dentistry, it needs to deliver a system that places greater emphasis on prevention, improves access for patients, and makes NHS dentistry a more attractive and sustainable place to work.” 

ENDS 

Notes to editors: 
 
1. The Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England is committed to enabling dentists and specialists to provide patients with the highest possible standards of practice and care.  
2. The Royal College of Surgeons of England provides world-class education, assessment, and development to 30,000 surgeons, dental professionals, and members of the wider surgical and dental care teams, at all stages of their careers. Our vision is to see excellent surgical care for everyone. We do this by setting professional standards, facilitating research and championing the best outcomes for patients.  
3. The new NHS England figures show that 21,787 children aged 5 to 9 were admitted to hospital in 2025/26 due to tooth decay, compared with 11,511 admitted for acute tonsillitis - https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity/2025-26 
4. The NHS Business Services Authority published data in August showing that more than 40% of children have not seen an NHS dentist in the past year - https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/statistical-collections/dental-england/dental-statistics-england-202526 
5. Last year the number of children aged 5 – 9 years old admitted to hospital for tooth decay was 21,162 - https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity/2024-25 
6. The government released a press release on 16 September 2025 stating that tooth decay “remains the most common reason for a 5 to 9-year-old child to be admitted to hospital in England, with 70 a day having teeth extracted due to decay.” - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hundreds-of-thousands-of-children-benefit-from-major-dental-health-drive  
7. The government has rolled out the supervised toothbrushing scheme for up to 600,000 children aged 3 to 5 in the most deprived areas of England. FDS supports supervised toothbrushing and believes it should remain a priority. 
8. For more information, please contact the RCS England press office: telephone: 020 7869 6053/6054; email: pressoffice@rcseng.ac.uk ; out-of-hours media enquiries: 0207 869 6056.