As the dental profession prepares for the outcome of England’s NHS dental contract consultation, dentist Mohsan Ahmad explores what he thinks needs to happen to protect the future of dentistry in the health service.
Whenever I speak to colleagues that offer NHS dental services, the most common feedback I get is that they don’t feel valued or listened to. It was felt almost straight away that the UDA contract wasn’t fit to support the oral health needs of the population, with preventive care not being appropriately funded.
Even when this was vocalised through the professional bodies, it seemed to land on deaf ears. NHS dentistry should empower dental teams to feel confident they are providing the most appropriate treatment to patients with significant emphasis on prevention and patient ownership of self-care. This is especially pertinent for patients that have high dental needs and irregular attendance at dental practices.
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