The National Audit Office's damning verdict on the "dental recovery plan" prompted patient groups to voice alarm that people's struggles with decayed teeth constitutes "a serious public health concern".
A pledge to provide an extra 1.5m treatments in England this year is in disarray amid falls in both the number of dentists doing NHS work and people receiving help from them.
There is "significant uncertainty" as to whether that ambition will be fulfilled because two key elements of the plan have not been delivered, an NAO investigation found. None of the promised new fleet of mobile dental vans has appeared and £20,000 "golden hellos", which were offered to 240 dentists to work in areas of acute shortage, have only produced one extra dentist.
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West Ham look to Conceicao as Lopetegui pressure grows
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Van Nistelrooy's 'hurt' New Leicester manager stung by his enforced United exit
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Definitely maybe: Slot looks imperious at Anfield but could Guardiola be forced from Etihad?
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Amorim's FA Cup bow comes at Arsenal in 2005 final rerun
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