Members of Parliament call for ‘rapid and timely action’ as they lay out their concerns over the future of NHS dentistry services in a new report.
Released today, the Health and Social Care Committee unveiled its ninth report into dentistry of the 2022-23 period.
It said it is ‘totally unacceptable in the 21st century’ that people are in pain and distress due to the lack of access to an NHS dentist.
It added: ‘It is frustrating to have to return to recommendations made by our predecessor Committee fifteen years ago that still haven’t been implemented. Rarely has an inquiry been more necessary.’
Urgent recovery
The report acknowledged that some actions had been taken by the government. This included changes to the dental contract in July 2022, with promises for further reform in the future.
The report stated: ‘Fundamental reform of the dental contract is essential and must be urgently implemented, not only to address the crisis of access in the short-term, but to ensure a more sustainable, equitable and prevention-focussed system for the future.
‘We are concerned that any further delay will lead to more dentists leaving the NHS and exacerbate the issues patients are experiencing with accessing services.’
A new recovery plan for NHS dental services has also been promised by ministers, according to the report, but this is yet to be published.
This follows the release of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, which will increase training places for dentists by 40% by 2031/32.
Recommendations from the committee include urgent changes to the dental contract, the commission of a dental workforce survey, and incentives to attract and retain dentists within the NHS. These could be the reintroduction of NHS commitment payments, incentive payments for audit and peer review and the introduction of late career retention payments.
Better informed
The report also detailed the growing health inequalities within dentistry, as well as the lack of public awareness surrounding how dentistry works.
It called for a patient information campaign with the aim of improving awareness of how NHS dentistry will work and ensure the public are better informed about what they are entitled to.
Dentistry’s top stories
- Dental profession slams Rishi Sunak after he forgets name for dental therapists
- New government plans to boost number of dentists in England
- European dental qualifications will be recognised in UK for the next five years
- Has the GDC made a monumental oversight?
- GDC fails to provide number of dentists erased for charging ‘top up’ fees.
According to a Yougov survey carried out in March 2023, one in five Britons (22%) are currently not ‘registered’ with a dentist:
- Of those who were not ‘registered’, 37% said this was because they couldn’t find an NHS dentist and 23% said it was because they could not afford to pay for treatment.
In addition, one in 10 Britons (10%) admit to attempting their own dental work.
- Of those who say they’ve performed DIY dentistry, most (56%) did so within the last two years including 36% within the last year
- Twenty per cent did so because they couldn’t get a timely appointment and 18% said they did so because they couldn’t get registered with a dentist.
You can read the full report here.
‘No time is soon enough’
Toothless in England, a campaign group pushing for an NHS dentist for everyone, said it ‘broadly welcomes’ the recommendations in the report.
Founder Mark Jones said: ‘Through submissions and statements to the committee’s inquiry, Toothless in England made certain that its voice and the voice of the public were heard.
‘The report’s findings show how far oral health care provision has fallen. We broadly welcome the report’s recommendations.
‘However, the Westminster government has the option to disregard and persist in burying its head in the sand, just like all of its predecessors since the committee issued comparable recommendations 15 years ago.
‘There is no time soon enough to put these suggestions into practise. Universal access to an NHS dentist must be restored and quickly too.’
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
