The Naked Tooth

What does the future of NHS dentistry actually look like? In this first episode of The Naked Tooth, recorded live at Rodericks Dental Partners' state-of-the-art Wantage Dental practice, Rodericks founder and chairman Shalin Mehra joins Jason Wong, Chief Dental Officer for England, for a frank and wide-ranging conversation about the profession's biggest challenges and opportunities in the near future. Jason pulls back the curtain on his role as the principal clinical advisor to government, the realities of working within complex NHS structures, and how the reforms landing on 1st April 2026 came to be. He explains the thinking behind the new urgent care pathway, the changes to high-complexity treatment bands, the reintroduction of quality payments, and why tackling the dental clawback problem is essential before fundamental contract reform can happen. Shalin and Jason get into the bigger questions facing dentistry, including why is only 5% of NHS dental work currently carried out by dental therapists? Is AI a saviour or a de-skilling risk? Why are newly qualified dentists gripped by a fear of litigation that far outstrips reality? And if the workforce of 2040 looks the same as today's, have we failed? Whether you're a practice owner, associate, dental student, or team member, this episode offers rare insight into how policy is made, and honest, open conversation about where the profession is heading, and what we can all do to help get it there. Chapters (00:00) Introduction & Welcome  (01:00) Jason's Journey to Chief Dental Officer  (06:30) What the CDO Actually Does  (10:00) The April 2026 Contract Reforms  (16:30) Fundamental Reform: Is It Really Coming?  (21:30) Jason’s Three Wishes for Dentistry  (32:30) Fear Culture, Burnout & Supporting New Graduates  (42:00) AI, Robotics & the Personal Touch  (45:30) Mentorship & Closing Reflections  Topics Covered NHS dental contract reform 2026  Urgent care pathways  Skill mix and dental therapists  AI and robotics in dentistry  Workforce recruitment and retention  Fear culture and litigation  Dental education reform  Clinical leadership  Mentoring