A group of Local Dental Committees (LDCs) is calling for a debate on two separate issues including new ideas on reform of the GDP contract. Their proposals for reform have been worked up into a solid proposal, which they believe could accelerate the movement for change. They are also calling for a Special Conference, in relation to the GDC and the regulation of the profession, which must be arranged if 20 or more LDCs call for it.
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A substantial increase in the number of dentists in Scotland since the Scottish National Party took office has helped to secure dramatic increases in the proportion of people in Scotland registered with an NHS dentist. Commenting, SNP MSP Bob Doris said: “Since the SNP took office, we have made recruiting and retaining NHS dentists a priority, so that dentist registrations have increased substantially.” The Scottish independence referendum takes place on September 18.
The General Dental Council’s (GDC) consultation on the Annual Retention Fee (ARF) will be discussed at its meeting on September 18, but no decision on the level will be taken then. It has commissioned KPMG to review the assumptions underlying the proposal to raise the ARF by 64%. The decision on the level of ARF will be taken on October 30, after the KPMG report and the full appraisal of the consultation have been received.
An investigation by the Manchester Evening News has revealed that only one in three Manchester dental practices is taking on new child patients. The newspaper revealed its findings a month after statistics from the NHS were published, showing that children in Manchester have some of the poorest standards of oral health in the country.
Read more: Only one in three practices in Manchester accepting new child patients
Over the course of the month of August, aided by Dental Elite, a group of six individual dental practice owners in the North East successfully completed on the sale of their seven dental practices to a small corporate from the South of England. By acting together the group secured a value 15-20% more than their individual valuations and for one practice a price £300,000 more than a heavily negotiated offer from a well-known dental corporate.
The General Dental Council (GDC), has successfully prosecuted a Wirral-based man for unlawfully practising dentistry (namely tooth whitening). Wayne Roberts was found guilty at Wirral Magistrates' Court of three offences including unlawful use of the title 'Dental Technician'. He was fined £5,000 on each count, ordered to pay a £500 victim surcharge and full costs to the GDC of £3167.25.