NHS Announces 48% Boost In Isle Of Wight Dental Services For 2026

The NHS has confirmed a major increase in dental services on the Isle of Wight next year, with a 48% rise in activity expected.

In a report submitted to the County Hall adult social care, public health, and housing needs committee, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight outlined plans to introduce “significant new additional contracts” across the region.

Currently, access to dental care on the Island is below national averages, with only 40% of children and 23% of adults having seen an NHS dentist in the past year, according to Isle of Wight Council figures.

The committee will review NHS dental service provision at their meeting on Thursday, October 30.

The NHS report states:

“Significant new additional contracts are being put in place across Hampshire and Isle of Wight, both on a permanent and temporary basis.

"While we appreciate that not all of these improvements will be felt by everyone, we are now able to take further steps and an additional 84,000 Units of Dental Activity (UDA) will be rolled out at practices across the Island throughout 2026.

“As part of this, two new practices will be opened under these contracts, including one in Ryde, expected later this year.

“The current UDAs commissioned for this financial year on the Isle of Wight is 174,162.

"An additional 84,000 represents a 48% increase in NHS dental activity once these contracts take effect.”

Committee members will discuss current levels of access to NHS dental services, measures taken to address the shortage of local NHS dentists, the impact of practice closures, and ongoing efforts to recruit and retain dental professionals on the Island.