Specialist paediatric dentists

That this House notes the shortage of specialist paediatric dentists in the UK and the prolonged waiting times for children's dental procedures; highlights that specialist paediatric dentists provide comprehensive oral healthcare for children and adolescents, including those with special care needs; further highlights that they undergo three years of additional specialist training, gaining expertise in child psychology, growth and development, pharmacology, pathology, oral diseases, and advanced diagnostic and surgical procedures; draws attention to data which indicates that there are only around 200 full time equivalent specialists in paediatric dentistry working in the UK and that, to meet the demands of the population, there needs to be approximately triple this number; believes that this shortage worsens health inequalities, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged children who are more than twice as likely to face oral health issues than those in the least deprived areas; further believes that timely access to paediatric dental care is a fundamental aspect of children's health and wellbeing; expresses disappointment that the recent Government-backed NHS Long Term Workforce plan makes no specific reference to specialist paediatric dentistry; and calls on the Government to urgently address the shortage of specialist paediatric dentists and improve accessibility to dental care for all children.