Regulation of private clinics carrying out dental and other healthcare services, including non-surgical cosmetic interventions, will begin in Scotland next year. Healthcare Improvement Scotland will start regulating private clinics from April, where services are provided by doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and dental care professionals. Currently, there is no regulation for the non-surgical cosmetic industry in the UK. 

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A national policy to include dental surgeons in all health and educational database systems as well as GPs has been called for by Dr Robin Mills, Vice President of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry (BSPD), speaking at the Westminster Forum. Joined‑up thinking is essential, he said, to reduce the number of young children going into hospital in England and Wales for dental extractions under general anaesthetic.

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The Faculty of Dental Surgery has launched its action paper calling for a clear government public health strategy to tackle poor rates of oral health across the country. Professor Nigel Hunt, Dean, Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons said: “It is unacceptable that one-third of five year olds suffer from tooth decay in England.”

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Dentists must be allowed to get on and do their jobs without the shadow of oppressive regulation and the current culture of fear must be addressed, so that the best patient care can continue to be provided, BDA Chair Mick Armstrong said at the Westminster Health Forum. He told the Government: “Trust us, and accept and recognise, even celebrate, the good work we do.”

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The FGDP(UK) is concerned that the Which? report on access to NHS dental services does not provide a balanced view with regard to the constraints on many dental practices in the delivery of NHS care. The Dean, Mick Horton, said: “The report does not discuss the significant challenges experienced by many practices in providing the care that they would wish to as a result of unsatisfactory contracting arrangements with local commissioning bodies.”

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