Members of the dental profession in the UK have expressed outrage that dentistry has been omitted from the COVID-19 inquiry.
The inquiry will examine the healthcare consequences of how the governments responded to the pandemic regarding primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare sectors.
However, dentistry has been repeatedly omitted despite several attempt by the Healthcare Alliance, organised by Buxton Coates Solicitors, to get it on the inquiry agenda in both 2022 and 2023.
Simon Thackeray, a practising dentist and one of the founders of the British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD), said: ‘It is inconceivable, given the poor handling of dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic, that the COVID-19 Inquiry is not actually willing to hear full evidence from the profession.
‘The effect on patient care was significant and still continues. To ignore the needs of all practices either through will or ignorance is something that should never have been allowed to happen.
‘A refusal to hear about and learn from the experiences of an entire healthcare sector is not only short sighted but treats a valuable profession with contempt.’
Big push
Sarah Buxton, director of Buxton Coates Solicitors, added: ‘Should dentistry be a key focus of healthcare services in the COVID-19 inquiry, when the aim is to examine the healthcare consequences of how the governments responded to the pandemic?
‘Why shouldn’t we know why some of those decisions were made about dental care, and have others understand the financial and emotional toll it took on the profession?
‘If you agree with us, please sign our petition to show your support. We can but try to get dentistry on the agenda, and this is the first big push to raise awareness of this frankly unjust decision.’
To sign the petition and help raise awareness of the issues dental professionals faced during COVID-19, please visit www.bit.ly/3S0KDch.
