Survey Reveals Serious Concerns About NHS Dental Reforms, Says BDA, UK

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 23 Oct 2007 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The Dentistry Watch survey published by the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health (CPPIH) highlights once again the serious concerns about the impact of reforms to NHS dentistry in England, according to the British Dental Association (BDA).

Commenting on the findings, BDA Executive Board Chair Susie Sanderson said:

"This survey underlines the significant problems caused to both dentists and patients by the new dental contract. The picture it paints, of patients unable to access care, dentists struggling with the target-driven system and anxieties about the new charging system, is an all-too-familiar one.

"The new contract has done nothing to improve access for patients and failed to allow dentists to deliver the kind of modern, preventive treatment they want to give."

The Dentistry Watch survey represents the responses of more than 5,000 patients and 750 dentists. It identifies widespread problems with access to NHS dental care, patients declining NHS treatment because of concerns about the cost and some patients resorting to self-treatment because of difficulties finding an NHS dentist.

1. According to the Government's own estimate, more than two million people who wish to access NHS dental care are unable to do so. (Source: click here).

2. According to statistics published by the Information Centre in August 2007, less than 60 per cent of the population of England accessed NHS dentistry in the 24 months leading up to March 2007. For details click here.

3. The results of a survey of dentists published by the British Dental Association in March 2007 revealed that 85 per cent of dentists did not believe the new system had improved access for patients and 93 per cent did not think the new system encouraged a preventive approach to care. For details of the BDA survey, see here.

4. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association for dentists in the UK. It represents over 20,000 dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces.

http://www.bda.org

• Additional
• References
• Citations