We’re back with our annual round up of the biggest dental headlines of the year. From ORE changes to the NHS dental recovery plan progress – check out 2024’s top dental stories below.
January
‘Not feasible nor justifiable’ – European Parliament votes to ban dental amalgam from 2025
Following the European Parliament vote to ban dental amalgam from 1 January 2025, the profession warned of the impact on UK dental services.
Silver amalgam is currently the most common material for NHS permanent fillings across the UK. Fillings represent around a quarter of all courses of NHS treatment delivered in England, according to the British Dental Association (BDA), with amalgam used in around one third of procedures.
Following on from this story, we also put together an article focusing on all you need to know about amalgam, which covers the ban and its potential impact.
GDC ‘wrong and unjust’ in approach to suspension orders, court rules
The General Dental Council (GDC) said it would appeal a recent High Court decision that ruled the GDC had acted in a ‘wrong and unjust’ manner.
The judgment was made in reference to a Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) case where a dentist was suspended after he was found to have stalked and harassed a woman.
While he accepted the factual findings and the rulings that his fitness to practise was impaired, he launched an appeal regarding the length of the suspension, which was set at nine months.
February
International dentists could practise without passing overseas registration exam
Plans to allow dentists from abroad to work in the UK without taking the overseas registration exam (ORE) were considered by the government.
The proposed plan – which was subject to a three-month consultation – came amidst the growing shortage of NHS dental provision.
In a release on 16 February, the government proposed to enable overseas-qualified dentists who have not yet achieved full GDC registration to be able to work in the UK more quickly through the introduction of a system of ‘provisional registration’.
NHS dental recovery plan – what does it say?
Details of the long-awaited NHS dental recovery plan were finally released in February.
The report detailed new measures to tackle the current NHS dental crisis, including an uplift in UDA values and ‘dental treatment vans’ in vulnerable areas.
The then-Conservative government said the plan could see up to 2.5 million additional NHS dental appointments delivered for patients over the next 12 months, including up to 1.5 million extra treatments being delivered. (Spoiler, its aims were not achieved. You can see what the dental recovery plan has delivered so far in this November report.)
March
Coroner calls on GDC to take action to prevent future deaths in dentistry
A coroner called on the GDC to take action to prevent future deaths in the profession following the death of a dentist by suicide.
In a report last year, the coroner, Katrina Hepburn, highlighted concern with the way the GDC publicly displays information before proceedings have concluded.
The concerns were published in a ‘Prevention of Future Deaths’ report following the death of a dentist, which was recorded as suicide.
New powers granted to dental therapists and hygienists, government announces
Big news in the hygiene and therapy world – in March, the government announced plans for dental hygienists and dental therapists to supply and administer certain types of medicines without sign off from a dentist.
The move hoped to streamline processes within dental practices, improve patient experiences and relieve NHS dental access issues, the government said.
This comes after two government consultations were held on its proposal to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMRs) to grant these powers. The government said the feedback from the consultations was ‘overwhelmingly positive’ and that it received ‘widespread support’ for amending the HMRs.
April
Jason Wong announced as England’s new chief dental officer
Jason Wong was appointed chief dental officer (CDO) for England by NHS England and the department of health and social care.
This came as Sara Hurley stepped down in June 2023 following eight years in the job. Since then, Wong served as interim CDO while NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care recruited for the role.
Prior to this, Wong had been deputy CDO for England since June 2020.
Which university ranked highest for dentistry in 2024?
The Times released its annual ranking of university courses by subject, including which universities ranked highest for dentistry in 2024.
Every year The Times creates a Good University Guide, ranking UK universities as a whole and by individual subject courses.
For 2024, the highest ranking dentistry course was at Queen’s University, Belfast with a score of 100. It scored particularly highly in entry standards, student experience and research quality. Queen’s was also the highest rated course in 2023.
May
GDC welcomes provisional registration for overseas dentists but warns of ‘significant costs’
Provisional registration plans for overseas dentists will come with ‘significant costs’, said the GDC, as it welcomed the government consultation.
The regulator published its response to the government’s proposal, calling it a ‘valuable opportunity’ for overseas clinicians.
However, the GDC stressed the importance of the proposed legislation providing the right framework. It called for further work for them to develop the rules and system in collaboration with other stakeholders.
Compulsory NHS tie-in for new dentists under consideration
The government launched a consultation on a ‘tie-in period’ that would require newly-qualified dentists to work in the NHS for several years after graduation.
The eight-week consultation asked whether dentists should commit to delivering a minimum amount of NHS care or have to repay some of the training costs that are subsidised by the government.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) estimated that training a new dentist costs around £300,000, with £200,000 not repayable by the student. It said: ‘Of more than 35,000 dentists registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) in England, just over 24,000 delivered some NHS care in England in 2022/23.’
June
Tooth regrowth medicine successful in animal trials
It was announced that medicine that was successful in promoting tooth regrowth in animals is set to enter human trials in September.
In July 2023, it was revealed that a new medicine had been developed to promote tooth regrowth. It works by suppressing USAG-1, a molecule that inhibits bone growth proteins.
The medicine has already been tested on animals with no major side effects. It successfully generated new teeth in mice, ferrets and dogs. The drug was scheduled to begin human testing at Kyoto University Hospital from September 2024.
General election 2024: what did each party promise for dentistry?
Ahead of the general election, Dentistry looked at what each party had said about dentistry in the run-up.
In May, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that a general election will take place on Thursday 4 July. As the country geared up for polling day, both the public and the dental profession were following the promises being made regarding the future of NHS dentistry.
This came as a Yougov survey suggested that NHS dentistry was a top concern for voters. The survey also indicated that, at the time, dentistry was the least accessible NHS service, with nearly a third (28%) of respondents saying it’s the most important issue facing their local area.
July
What does a Labour government mean for dentistry?
For the first time in 14 years, the UK had a change in government. But what does a Labour government do for dentistry?
In July, millions of people fled to the polls to have their say on the next UK government for the first time since 2019.
As predicted, Keir Starmer became Prime Minister after the Labour Party won with a significant majority. The party needed 326 for a majority.
Smoking ban to go ahead, government confirms
The King’s Speech confirmed that the smoking ban proposed by former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would go ahead under the new Labour government.
King Charles delivered the newly-elected Labour government’s first King’s Speech in the House of Lords. It laid out approximately 40 bills which will be prioritised in the coming months. Among these was a revival of the tobacco and vapes bill.
Sunak first proposed the legislation in autumn 2023. It would raise the legal smoking age by one year annually, effectively banning smoking for anyone born in 2009 or later. It would also include measures to limit marketing of vapes to children.
August
New path for overseas dentists approved by GDC
The GDC approved a new dentistry degree that provides practical training for overseas students within primary care practice.
The University of Central Lancashire’s Bachelor of Dental Surgery International (BDSi) route was approved by the GDC for taking a new approach that prepares overseas dentists for practice and registration in the UK.
The training BDSi students receive from the university’s School of Medicine and Dentistry was found to be proficient, ensuring graduates meet the standards required to provide dental care.
‘Robot dentist’ completes first dental procedure
An AI-driven robotics system, dubbed a ‘robot dentist’, completed its first fully-automated dental procedure on a human.
Designed by Perceptive, the robotics system aimed to complete restorative procedures ‘an order of magnitude faster and more accurately than any human’.
The technology combines both AI-driven 3D imaging software and a robotic arm for performing dental procedures. In addition, it is said to operate ‘even in the most movement-heavy conditions’ with ‘unparalleled speed and precision’.
September
Lord Darzi NHS report: ‘urgent action needed’ on NHS dental contract
‘There are enough dentists in England, just not enough dentists willing to do enough NHS work’ – these were the words of Lord Darzi as he released his new report into the state of the NHS.
In September, we saw Lord Ara Darzi’s full and independent investigation into the state of the NHS conclude that the service is in a ‘critical condition’.
Looking at invesment, quality of care and the nation’s health, the report identified serious and widespread problems for people accessing services.
However, Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted the NHS ‘may be broken, but it’s not beaten’.
GDC announces more dates for overseas registration exam
Capacity for the overseas registration exam (ORE) was increased, with the GDC announcing more dates.
The regulator said it was working with the current providers to increase the capacity of ORE exams in the UK – with plans to further increase capacity in 2025.
There will be an April 2025 sitting of the ORE Part 1, with 600 places available, and three sittings of the ORE Part 2 from January to April 2025, with 144 places on each.
October
Autumn budget 2024: what it means for dentistry
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivered Labour’s first budget for 14 years – what do the new measures mean for the dental profession?
In October, Reeves warned that ‘difficult decisions’ have had to be made, with many predicting tax rises and spending cuts.
A number of measures were confirmed ahead of the budget, including:
- Minimum wage to rise in April, with hourly rates for over-21s set to increase to £12.21 an hour
- £2 bus fare cap in England to rise to £3
- Around £1.4 billion will be invested in schooling
- A commitment of £500m boost to the Affordable Homes Programme.
Benefits of water fluoridation in decline, review finds
New research suggested that water fluoridation is a cost-effective measure but only leads to a slightly lower prevalence of caries in children.
The contemporary studies analysed within the review found that water fluoridation leads to a slight reduction in decayed, missing and filled teeth. It was also linked to a greater proportion of caries-free children, though the effect was smaller than in studies from before 1975.
The review suggested that this is due to wider use of fluoride-containing toothpaste after this date.
November
GDC discloses number of suicides among dental professionals with fitness to practise concerns
The cause of death for dental professionals who have died while fitness to practise (FtP) concerns were investigated or remediated were released by the GDC.
The report covered the period 2019 to 2022. During this time, 20 dental professionals died while their cases were active, with causes of death categorised as natural, external, or unspecified, and one subcategory of suicide.
The GDC said it has replaced exact numbers within number ranges (ie 1-3, 4-6, 7-10), to minimise the risk of individuals being identified through calculations of the reported data.
Two in three believe they have right to register with NHS dentist
More than two thirds (68%) of patients mistakenly believe they have the right to register with an NHS dentist as they do with an NHS GP, it was revealed.
This was according to new research carried out by Healthwatch.
When asked about their preference for getting NHS dental care, more than half of respondents (54%) said they want to be able to register with an NHS dentist as a permanent patient in the same way as they can with an NHS GP.
One third of respondents (33%) said they had to wait longer for their NHS dental treatment than they wanted.
One in six (16%) said they had not been able to find an NHS dentist who would treat them, with 27% having to seek private care in the last two years.
December
GDC makes remote hearings permanent
The GDC confirmed its move for dental professional hearings to be held online is to be made permanent following a public consultation.
The policy will take effect from 1 April 2025 to allow for guidance for all independent committees at the hearings service to be developed and for monitoring processes to be put in place.
The move follows the implementation of remote hearings in recent years, with GDC data showing that 87% of the 508 substantive hearings held between January 2022 and May 2024 were conducted remotely.
Three in four dentists do not enjoy NHS work, survey says
We round the year off with some new findings on NHS dentistry – almost three quarters of NHS dentists and 65% of dental nurses said they do not enjoy working in the NHS.
Six in 10 (61%) also considered doing less NHS work in the next two years, according to the survey. Eight in 10 (81%) said they were expecting to carry out more private work in the same period.
Two thirds (66%) of the dentists said they think the role of mixed practice is overlooked by policy members.
One dental professional said: ‘The funding is inadequate to cover the hourly rate needed to run a practice. Our practice subsidises our NHS work with private work substantially. It would be impossible to be fully NHS and provide high-quality care to patients.’
See previous years’ round ups here:
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