The BDA has had a busy week, both in the media and updating members on developments across the UK. However they are still awaiting a reply to GDPC Chair’s letter expressing his ‘considerable concern and disappointment’ at the ongoing delays in addressing a number of key NHS contractual issues relating to the pandemic period. Plus answers are needed on the 60 minute fallow time following treatments.
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A report in the Daily Telegraph said that dental patients were paying up to £35 extra to cover PPE costs, as practices attempt to claw back money spent on personal protective equipment when they reopen amid coronavirus crisis. The story was picked up extensively in the media over the week. It followed a statement by mydentist on how they would make these charges.
The results of the National Dental Epidemiology Programme 2017/18 oral health survey of adults attending general dental practices in England has been published. More than a quarter of participants had tooth decay, having on average 2.1 decayed teeth, and more than half had gingival bleeding. Furthermore 18% reported currently being in pain and the same number had experienced one or more impacts of poor oral health ‘fairly’ or ‘very often’ in the previous year.
A survey from the Dental Defence Union (DDU) of 2,108 UK adults has found that 70% think dental professionals, doctors and other NHS staff involved in providing treatment to patients during the Covid-19 pandemic should be able to do so without the risk of the NHS being sued for negligence. What’s more only 7% of respondents disagreed with this.
Read more: Survey reveals public support for NHS to be shielded from Covid litigation
CODE has completed the acquisition of Isopharm which brings together their compliance platform with the leading provider of online CPD for dental practitioners into a single entity. Established for over 20 years, Isopharm provides online CPD to over 60% of all GDPs using solutions to meet the mandatory requirements for this.
Read more: CODE acquires Isopharm to provide software solutions for dental professionals
The General Dental Council is standing by its decision to refuse the introduction of an instalment payment scheme for hard-pressed dental professionals, despite being made aware that many lower paid registrants are concerned that they may not be able to afford the forthcoming Annual Retention Fee payment due in July.
Read more: No apology nor empathy for hard-pressed dental professionals from GDC