To ask the Minister of Health, in relation to data from the Family Practitioner Services General Dental Statistics for Northern Ireland 2023-24. to detail the reasons for the drop in NHS dental treatments being carried out on children and adults in the last ten years.

The General Dental Statistics for Northern Ireland 2023-2024 do not provide an explanation for the trends in provision of dental treatment under the general dental services (GDS) over the past ten years. As such it is not possible to provide an evidence-based response to the question asked. The GDS is a demand-led service and the Strategic Performance and Planning Group (SPPG) of my Department are unable to control the volume of health service work versus the volume of private work provided by dentists. There will be a range of factors affecting the volume of dental treatments deliver under the GDS over the past ten years including the impact of the Covid pandemic, the types of treatment provided and the shift to a largely female workforce which has led to more part-time working.