Dental practice distribution: challenging assumptions about deprivation and access

Aims To assess whether area-level deprivation predicts the population-adjusted distribution of National Health Service (NHS) dental practices within a socioeconomically diverse English local authority.Methods Analysis of dental practice density (dental practices per 10,000 residents) across the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) deciles. Decile 1 represents the most deprived areas and decile 10 the least deprived.Results A non-linear relationship was observed between deprivation and dental practice density. Deprivation did not predict dental practice distribution, with upper-middle deciles showing the highest provision. The least deprived decile (10) had the lowest NHS dental practice density (0.36 per 10,000 residents). The most deprived areas (deciles 1-3) showed variable practice densities (0.52, 0.93, 0.53).Conclusions NHS dental practice density varied non-linearly across deprivation deciles, with no statistically significant association between deprivation and practice density after population adjustment. These findings indicate that deprivation alone does not explain the spatial distribution of NHS dental practices. Commissioning strategies must incorporate data on these factors, rather than relying on deprivation indices. Areas with large populations, but little NHS dental provision, may require distinct policy responses.