LONDON, UK: The British government has recently published the much-anticipated recovery plan for National Health Service (NHS) dentistry in a policy paper, yet many dental professionals have found it to be somewhat underwhelming. Primarily designed to enhance the availability of dental services in the country for those desperately seeking dental care, the plan falls short of meeting the government’s stated ambitions and fails to effectively address the overwhelming backlog and to resurrect dentistry in England.
NHS dentistry is on a slippery slope. Just recently, the British Dental Association (BDA) described it as a national embarrassment, saying on its website: “Ministers need to take some responsibility. A wealthy twenty-first-century nation is slipping back to the Victorian era on their watch.”
The country is seeing a concerning incidence of dental caries and dental sepsis in toddlers, a DIY dentistry epidemic, unattainable NHS targets and the return of scurvy. Additionally, the number of dentists providing care in the state-funded NHS stands at its lowest level in a decade. According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development, the UK has a shocking 49 public dentists per 100,000 inhabitants.
“The government keeps saying it wants everyone to be able to access NHS dentistry. But there’s no sign of a credible plan to make that a reality, and no willingness to break from the failed contract,” the BDA said in a press release.
Unable to access dental care in their own country, some UK nationals are resorting to seeking it in Ukraine, despite it currently being a war zone. Worryingly, the statistics do not paint an optimistic picture. According to data published in The Economist, the UK trails behind both Ukraine and Rwanda when it comes to timely access to care—an especially sobering fact in light of the last being a developing country.
Faster, simpler, fairer
Access to dental care is now promised to be faster, simpler and fairer. Seeking to ease the crisis, the UK government will now be offering financial compensation ranging from £15 (€18) to £50 to dentists who accept new patients, in order to ease the staffing shortage. The total government funding for this step is £200 million. Approximately 240 dentists will additionally be offered one-off payments of up to £20,000 for working for at least three years in underserved areas.
Other measurements include a major focus on prevention and good oral health in young children and the launch of dental vans to help reach isolated communities. Plans are also in place to expand the NHS dental workforce. This includes increasing the number of dental undergraduate training places and facilitating the recruitment of overseas dentists.
“The health service will now introduce a wide range of practical measures to help make it easier for people to see a dentist, from incentivising dentists to take on new patients to supporting dentists to be part of the NHS in areas where access is challenging,” NHS England CEO Amanda Pritchard said.
However, many dental professionals have expressed doubt over the new reform. Dr Shawn Charlwood, chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, commented that the recovery plan was not worthy of the title. He noted: “It won’t halt the exodus from the workforce or offer hope to millions struggling to access care.”
“Nothing here meets government’s stated ambitions, or makes this service fit for the future,” he concluded.
The policy paper, titled Faster, Simpler and Fairer: Our Plan to Recover and Reform NHS Dentistry, can be accessed here.
Tags:
LONDON, UK: The British Dental Association (BDA) continues to press for urgent and fundamental reform of the NHS dental contract backed by sustainable ...
LONDON, UK: Bupa Dental Care will sell or merge 85 of its UK dental clinics, owing to increased costs and the dire condition of National Health Service ...
EDINBURGH, Scotland: Fresh statistics from Public Health Scotland have revealed widening oral healthcare inequities in Scotland, and the British Dental ...
LONDON, UK: Amid the political upheaval that has engulfed the UK in recent weeks, the British Dental Association has written an email to new Chancellor ...
LONDON, UK: Late in August, the National Health Service (NHS) released the annual dental statistics for England. The report provides information on NHS ...
LONDON, UK: According to a recent survey carried out by the British Dental Association (BDA), an increasing number of dental patients in the UK are seeking ...
LONDON, UK: In many parts of the world, growing inflationary pressures are causing the cost of living to increase sharply. To help remedy this stress, the ...
Live webinar
Mon. 29 April 2024
5:30 pm UTC (London)
Prof. Roland Frankenberger Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. dent.
Live webinar
Tue. 30 April 2024
6:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Fri. 3 May 2024
6:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Wed. 8 May 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Fri. 10 May 2024
1:00 am UTC (London)
Live webinar
Mon. 13 May 2024
2:00 pm UTC (London)
Live webinar
Mon. 13 May 2024
6:00 pm UTC (London)
Doc. MUDr. Eva Kovaľová PhD.
International / International
Brazil / Brasil
Canada / Canada
Latin America / Latinoamérica
USA / USA
Austria / Österreich
Bosnia and Herzegovina / Босна и Херцеговина
Bulgaria / България
Croatia / Hrvatska
Czech Republic & Slovakia / Česká republika & Slovensko
France / France
Germany / Deutschland
Greece / ΕΛΛΑΔΑ
Italy / Italia
Netherlands / Nederland
Nordic / Nordic
Poland / Polska
Portugal / Portugal
Romania & Moldova / România & Moldova
Slovenia / Slovenija
Serbia & Montenegro / Србија и Црна Гора
Spain / España
Switzerland / Schweiz
Turkey / Türkiye
China / 中国
India / भारत गणराज्य
Japan / 日本
Pakistan / Pākistān
Vietnam / Việt Nam
ASEAN / ASEAN
Israel / מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל
Algeria, Morocco & Tunisia / الجزائر والمغرب وتونس
Middle East / Middle East
Prof. Roland Frankenberger Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. dent.Register now1CELive webinar
Dr. Luis TovimRegister now1CELive webinar
Dr. Lawrence BrechtLive webinar
Dr. Bruno JhamRegister now1CE:sharpen(level=0):output(format=png)/up/dt/2024/01/UnionTech-Logo-Hub.png "UnionTech")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1698007795.jpg "Can dentists help patients experiencing food insecurity?")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/New-Align-Technology-Campus-to-elevate-the-standard-of-care-in-dentistry-1.jpg "Align Technology launches new online campus")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Dentists-fear-DIY-tooth-extractions-as-Wales-hikes-NHS-fees.jpg "Dentists fear DIY tooth extractions as Wales hikes NHS fees")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/UK-health-authorities-urged-to-update-dental-antibiotic-guidelines-for-potential-endocarditis-patients.jpg "UK urged to update dental antibiotic guidelines for potential endocarditis patients")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Oral-health-inequalities-remain-a-major-public-health-concern-in-the-UK.jpg "Oral health inequalities remain a major public health concern in the UK")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/01/UnionTech-Logo-Hub.png "UnionTech"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/06/RS_logo-2024.png "ROOTS SUMMIT"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2014/02/3shape.png "3Shape")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/01/ClearCorrect_Logo_Grey_01-2024.png "ClearCorrect"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/08/Neoss_Logo_new.png "Neoss"){kind=logo}
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2014/02/Du%CC%88rr_Dental.png "Dürr Dental")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/e-papers/336495/1.jpg "DT UK & Ireland No. 1, 2024")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/e-papers/332768/1.jpg "DT UK & Ireland No. 4, 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/e-papers/328090/1.jpg "Dental Tribune UK No. 3, 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/e-papers/324687/1.jpg "Dental Tribune UK No. 2, 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/e-papers/321656/1.jpg "Dental Tribune UK No. 1, 2023")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/11/DTUK0122_01_Title.jpg "Dental Tribune UK No. 1, 2022")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/02/Dentistry-in-England-A-national-disgrace.jpg "Dentistry in England: A national disgrace?")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1698007795.jpg "Can dentists help patients experiencing food insecurity?")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/03/profile-image-300x300.jpg "Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/05/dental-deserts-in-england.jpg "Dental deserts on the rise in England")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/05/Leading-UK-dental-provider-to-cut-85-UK-clinics-citing-inflation-energy-prices-and-lack-of-dentists.jpg "Leading UK dental provider to cut 85 clinics, citing inflation, energy prices and lack of dentists")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2023/01/Scotlands-poorest-paying-the-price-for-dental-crisis-says-British-Dental-Association.jpg "Scotland’s poorest paying the price for dental crisis, says British Dental Association")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/10/shutterstock_1140820547.jpg "BDA warns new chancellor that further cuts will kill NHS dentistry")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/09/NHS-releases-dental-statistics-for-England.jpg "NHS releases worrying dental statistics for England")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/07/Dental-tourism-among-UK-patients-is-on-the-rise-BDA-reports.jpg "Dental tourism among UK patients is on the rise, BDA reports")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2022/07/shutterstock_346350440.jpg "NHS dental pay rise outstripped by soaring inflation")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Shutterstock_1698007795.jpg "Can dentists help patients experiencing food insecurity?")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/New-Align-Technology-Campus-to-elevate-the-standard-of-care-in-dentistry-1.jpg "Align Technology launches new online campus")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/up/dt/2024/04/Dentists-fear-DIY-tooth-extractions-as-Wales-hikes-NHS-fees.jpg "Dentists fear DIY tooth extractions as Wales hikes NHS fees")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/3dprinting-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/aligners-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/covid-banner.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
:sharpen(level=0):output(format=webp)/wp-content/themes/dt/images/roots-banner-2024.jpg "3D Printing Banner")
To post a reply please login or register