GDC Chair, Dr William Moyes, will stand down in September 2021, having completed two 4-year terms in the post. The Council is looking for a head-hunter to search for a replacement. The Chair’s job involves 2 days a week and the remuneration is set at £55,000. It doesn’t look as if they are looking for a dentist to take on the role.
No commentsRead more: GDC’s Moyes to stand down in 2021: search for successor starts
The selection process takes place in Leeds this month for 12 dentists who will be allocated places on a new paediatric dentistry training programme in Yorkshire and Humber. Interest in the level 2 complexity care training funded by Health Education England, Yorkshire and Humber has surpassed the expectations of the organisers who were inundated with expressions of interest within days of going public.
Read more: Innovative dental collaboration will help child patients in Yorkshire
By Paul Felton
The General Dental Council is facing further criticism from registrants after it released September’s registration report.
Registrants were incensed in June when the GDC refused to introduce an emergency payment by instalment scheme [PBI] to alleviate financial hardship brought to Dental Care Professionals caused by the national shutdown of dentistry as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. With many DCP’s struggling to make ends meet, there was anticipation that many would not be able to afford the £114 registration fee.
Read more: Post Lockdown Registration Figures For DCP’s Are Down
People are being forced to pay for private dental care if their problem is ‘not emergency’ says the watchdog, Healthwatch, England. They said they had heard it from people unable to access treatment. They said that in some instances people have “no choice” but to pay for private dental care if their issue is not considered to be an emergency.
Read more: People are being forced to pay for private dental care says Healthwatch England
NHS Digital has issued its report on dentists’ activity last year. 21.0 million adults and 6.3 million children were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months leading up to June 30, 2020, but this was affected by the Covid-19 shut down and is likely to decline further in the coming months, as the effects of the cross-infection control measures become apparent.
Read more: Fewer NHS patients seen as Covid-19 restrictions bite
The British Dental Association has called on the Chancellor to set out his response to a new report underlining the need for coherent support for dental services, particularly for mixed and private services. In an open letter to Rishi Sunak the BDA has called on the department to set aside the ‘boilerplate responses’ and develop a coherent, funded plan to maintain the viability of the sector.
Read more: BDA calls on Chancellor to set out action plan for dental service