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The impact of COVID-19 on NHS hospital admissions for severe dental infection in England

British Dental Journal (2025)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction There has been a steady increase in NHS (National Health Service) hospital admissions in England for severe dental infection over the past 20 years, but this data had not been reviewed since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aims To assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of NHS hospital admissions in England. To assess trends in dental activity, such as the units of dental activity (UDAs) and the number of antibiotic prescriptions dispensed by NHS dentists before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods Data on admissions for dental infection and UDAs were downloaded from NHS Digital for the years 2018-2023. The NHS Business Standard Authority provided dental antibiotic prescribing data via a Freedom of Information request. Population data were obtained from the Office for National Statistics. The data were analysed to assess for trends by year.

Results The number of patients admitted for severe dental infection in NHS hospitals in England decreased significantly at the beginning of the pandemic. Admissions had not returned to pre-pandemic level in the study period. The number of UDAs showed a similar trend. The number of NHS dental antibiotic prescriptions increased in the first few months of the pandemic but then returned to pre-pandemic levels.

Conclusions Despite a previously observed rise in the number of NHS hospital admissions in England for severe dental infection over the past 20 years, this decreased both during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key points

  • Provides insight into the change in the number of hospital admissions for dental infection before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with surprising results.

  • Shows the change in the number of antibiotic prescriptions before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • Shows the change in dental activity before, during and after the pandemic.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are publicly available for free online at:

NHS England. Hospital admitted patient care activity. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/hospital-admitted-patient-care-activity.

Office for National Statistics. Population estimates. https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates.

NHS Business Standards Authority. Dental prescribing dashboard. https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/prescription-data/dispensing-data/dental-prescribing-dashboard.

NHS England. NHS dental statistics for England, 2022-23, annual report. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics/2022-23-annual-report.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Specialty Registrar in Restorative Dentistry, Department of Restorative Dentistry, Newcastle Dental Hospital and School, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Jacqueline Fraser

  2. Senior Clinical University Lecturer/Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry, Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Douglas P. Robertson

  3. Professor of Clinical Bacteriology and Honorary Consultant Microbiologist, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

    Andrew Smith

Authors
  1. Jacqueline Fraser
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  2. Douglas P. Robertson
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  3. Andrew Smith
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Contributions

JF collected data, analysed results and wrote the manuscript. DPR conceptualised the project and analysed results. JF, DPR and AS all reviewed and edited the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacqueline Fraser.

Ethics declarations

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethical approval was granted from the Glasgow University College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (application number: 200230463). Consent was not required for retrospective public data collection.

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Fraser, J., Robertson, D. & Smith, A. The impact of COVID-19 on NHS hospital admissions for severe dental infection in England. Br Dent J (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-025-8331-1

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