Dental professionals are calling for a new NHS contract and more resources to combat oral health misinformation, research has found.
A new report from the College of General Dentistry, with support from Haleon, looked into oral health professionals’ recommendations on how to best improve the provision of preventative oral healthcare.
The research found that oral health professionals want redesigned NHS contracts to allow for more time and financial support in giving preventative oral care advice.
They also call for more resources to provide consistent nationwide preventative oral healthcare education. This would help to improve knowledge about healthy oral health habits, while tackling misinformation from sources such as social media.
Roshni Karia, president at the College of General Dentistry, said: ‘Our focus groups found that many dentists may feel that they are conducting a lonely battle against entrenched patient habits around oral health care and doing so within NHS contracts, which are unfavourable to providing adequate preventative advice.
‘Our work with Haleon highlights the need to take action to support oral health professionals in a real time of need.’
Preventative care suggestions
Some of the other solutions suggested include:
- Working with government to support updating the Delivering Better Oral Health Toolkit to be simpler and more user-friendly
- A national communications campaign to tackle misinformation surrounding oral care
- Utilising digital communications streams such as apps and video streaming platforms
- Supporting the curation of a government consumer facing Delivering Better Oral Health Toolkit, providing insight-led recommendations
- Encouraging businesses to ensure dental cover is included in their employee assistance programmes
- Supporting professional development with the provisions of preventative care focused continuous professional development (CPD)
- Celebrating professionals such as dental hygienists through the mainstream media
- Working with non-dental health professionals such as health visitors and midwives to inform them of the benefits of preventative oral care.
Bas Vorsteveld is vice president and general manager for Great Britain and Ireland at Haleon. He said: ‘With a new prime minister in 10 Downing Street, our findings could not come at a more pivotal time for the future of dentistry in the UK.
‘Working alongside the College of General Dentistry, we outline the key opportunities, our jointly developed solutions to safeguard the future of preventative oral care provisions for UK consumers and oral health professionals alike.
‘We welcome the new Labour government’s plan to rescue the UK’s dental sector. But we urge them to go further and make NHS contracts fit for purpose by prioritising prevention.
‘Only by working alongside the profession and industry can the new government make the step-change that UK dentistry clearly needs.’
Follow Dentistry.co.uk on Instagram to keep up with all the latest dental news and trends.
