The government's 10-year health plan for England highlights the need to improve dentistry as satisfaction with NHS dental care is at a record low. Currently, 13 million adults seek dental care, and tooth extraction is the leading cause of hospitalization for children ages 5-9, although it is almost entirely preventable. Three million fewer patients visited an NHS dentist over the past two years than before the pandemic. Only 30-40% of NHS dental practices are accepting new patients. Inequalities in access to dental care are significant, the most affected are vulnerable groups, such as the unemployed. Effective use of available data on dental care is needed to improve the situation, but the plan does not yet outline specific steps to achieve this. Overall, NHS dental services in England are in crisis and their recovery requires long-term efforts and better data tools[1].