Nigel Huddleston MP has backed the launch of the Government's NHS Dental Recovery Plan.

The initiative is part of the Government's long-term plan to improve access to NHS dentistry and decrease waiting lists across the country.

The plan will be supported by £200 million of newly allocated Government funds.

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It outlines a series of measures intended to provide an additional 2.5 million NHS appointments over the next 12 months.

Approximately 240 dentists will be offered monetary incentives of up to £20,000 to work in communities currently under-served by NHS dentistry, focusing on patients who have not received dental care within the last two years.

The plan also introduces a new patient premium payment to incentivise dentists to treat around one million new patients, who have not seen an NHS dentist in over two years.

The proposed scheme is expected to come into effect in only a few weeks, allowing patients to reap its benefits very shortly.

Furthermore, a rise in minimum value of dental activities from £23 to £28 is planned.

It is hoped that these alterations will make the prospect of undertaking NHS work more enticing to dental teams.

A substantial expansion in trainee dental places forms another key part of the initiative.

Training spots are expected to grow by 40 per cent in a bid to better serve areas currently inadequately covered by the dental workforce.

Mr Huddleston, the MP for Mid Worcestershire, said: "Everyone should be able to access NHS dentistry quickly and easily, and I understand the frustration of those in my constituency when they need to see a dentist but struggle to get an NHS appointment.

"I am therefore delighted by the Government’s announcement of its NHS Dental Recovery Plan, creating 2.5 million more NHS dental appointments over the next year."