Shortlist for new dental pilot practices announced

The Department of Health has shortlisted an extra 29 new practices to join – from April – the existing 70 practices on the pilot scheme.

The second stage of this programme has been expanded to help test how the different elements of the new contract work together.

One of the biggest changes being tested is exploring how dentists can be paid for the health results they produce and the number of patients they care for rather than the number of courses of treatment they perform.

Barry Cockcroft, chief dental officer for England, said: ‘I am delighted to welcome the new practices to the pilot scheme and know they will continue with the excellent work which has been carried out so far.

‘We were inundated with applications and choosing the shortlist was very difficult but we were keen to make sure they represent a really broad spectrum of the profession. It is evidence of how positively the pilot programme has been received.

‘We are now committed to making sure the pilots form the ground work for the development of a robust new dental contract that is fully tested and fit for the future.’

The pilot sites are also trialling a new self-care plan based on a traffic light system.

A new care pathway is being tested which suggests methods of treatment for patients following a check up. This gives patients a rating of green, amber or red following an oral health assessment. They are then given advice on how to improve their dental health in the long term.

More work will also be carried out to develop the new care pathway approach further. This offers dentists guidance on treatment for their patients depending on their oral health. The IT system to help support the new system has also been improved in preparation for the second wave of pilot work.

This work, along with the dental quality and outcomes framework (DQOF) which is also being tested will make sure practices are delivering quality care when the new contract is rolled out across the country. 

The practices which have been shortlisted enjoyed their first taste of what life will be like if they join the pilot scheme as they took part in a training day held in Birmingham yesterday. The day was designed to make sure practices are confident to take on the challenges joining the programme will bring.

The shortlisted practices