USA teledentistry giant SmileDirectClub has opened for business in Britain to bring ‘affordable and accessible’ clear aligner therapy to the UK. It will open nine SmileShops in London, Manchester, and Birmingham, with the first opening in Hammersmith, Oxford Circus and Tower Bridge in London, and Crossway in Birmingham.
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South Lakes Lib-Dem MP has secured a commitment from the Government to roll out a new NHS dental contract to Cumbria to address a serious shortage of NHS dentists in the county. Junior minister, Seema Kennedy MP, told MPs that the new contract should attract people to and keep people in the dental profession and ensure better access to dentistry in places such as Cumbria and across the country.
Read more: NHS dentistry in Cumbria at ‘breaking point’ says local MP
The Green Paper says that the Government needs to do much better on oral health, with tooth decay being the most common reason for hospital admission for children aged 5 to 9 years old – ‘yet it is largely preventable’. They will consult on rolling out a school toothbrushing scheme in more pre-school settings and primary schools in England and explore ways of removing the funding barriers to fluoridating water.
Read more: Government pledges to ‘do much better’ on oral health
Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, kept his post in the most radical cabinet reshuffle of modern times, by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. Although he did not receive the promotion which he may have expected, he tweeted that he was ‘delighted’ to stay put. Three new MPs join his team at Health, Chris Skidmore, Jo Churchill (dental brief) and Nadine Dorries.
RD-UK, the association for consultants in restorative dentistry, has welcomed the publication of the Commissioning Standard for Restorative Dentistry, describing it as a visionary guide, designed to deliver greater clarity for NHS commissioners, in the interests of patients and for the dental profession. Chairman Professor Martin Ashley, said: “I am optimistic that the document heralds a new era for patients and for our specialty.”
Read more: Standard for commissioning of specialist Restorative Dentistry welcomed
The BDA Northern Ireland has previously highlighted that, owing to a lack of functioning government, the £12.3 million raised from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy has disappeared into a black hole. With the soft drinks industry levy facing an uncertain future they have urged Stormont authorities to get a grip, and finally use the windfall to improve children’s health.