“Affordable Dentistry” Joins the Corporate Mix
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- Published: Sunday, 08 October 2023 18:44
- Written by Peter Ingle
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Team members of a certain age will remember the concept of Independent Dentistry. This idea of dental care which is not provided under the NHS, is paid for by the patient, and does not call itself Private. The Independent movement emerged as part of the profession’s response to the 1992 contract, when many practices sought to reduce their dependency on the NHS.
Independent dentistry sometimes appeared to have a variety of meanings. To some it was the popular ‘middle’ option that most consumers opt for when offered a bronze, silver, or gold, choice. To others it was a semantic device, partly to avoid the assumption, by some patients at least, that saw Private care as elitist, excessive, or only for the very wealthy.
There were independent dentist groups and even a magazine. Seventeen years on, attitudes have changed. Private care whether it is dental or medical, has become an accepted feature in the lives of millions. Fully private dental practices once restricted to the medical areas of larger cities are now commonplace around the country, and many mixed practices are focussing on their private offering. In 2020 Independent Dentistry magazine was renamed Private Dentistry.
Now, Europe’s largest dental provider, MyDentist has come up with a new alternative to NHS and Private. Please welcome, Affordable Dentistry.
An extensive feature in the Peterborough Telegraph reports the opening of the corporate’s new practice in Hampton, Peterborough. It is only on close inspection that readers will see the words Ad Feature by My Dentist. It is headlined “New, affordable dental practice opening in Hampton, Peterborough, providing treatment tailored to you.” Following a brief introduction explaining that the new practice follows the merger of two local established ones, and under the caption “Affordable dental appointments” it explains that all patients will be moving to the new facility. After noting that MyDentist is working with the NHS to improve access in the area, the main theme returns with “The practice will also offer affordable dental appointments starting at just £49 for an examination.”
In the whole feature the word private appears once, NHS twice, and Affordable three times. This includes the sentence: “Access to a wide range of NHS and private treatments by our team of clinicians, including teeth whitening, teeth straightening and implants.” It is not clear if patients having an NHS examination will be offered affordable tooth whitening and implants, or private alternatives.
MyDentist may not find their strategy universally well received. In Carlisle one of their practices, according to the Cumberland News and Star, has written to some patients advising that one dentist will stop providing NHS dentistry.
According to the paper: “In a letter to patients seen by the News & Star, one of the practice’s self-employed dentists wrote: The decision to make this change has been a difficult one but necessary to allow me to continue to provide a high-quality service.”
The story as a whole appears to emphasise an individual dentist’s self-employment rather than any corporate business model or decision making.
The letter also states that “NHS treatment will still be available with other dentists at the practice, although routine and emergency appointments will be available subject to capacity.”
Nonetheless former city councillor, Elsie Martlew was quoted, saying, “These are weasel words. When I made enquiries at the practice, I was told that this was not possible as there was only one dentist that did NHS work, and the list was full.”
A concluding statement from MyDentist said, “NHS dentistry is facing unprecedented pressure which, since the pandemic, has resulted in many clinicians choosing to move away from providing NHS treatments. One of our self-employed dentists at our practice at Victoria Place in Carlisle has made the same difficult decision.”
“We are doing everything we can to recruit more NHS dentists and we continue to offer affordable private treatments to ensure as many patients as possible can get access to the care they need.”
While MyDentist demonstrated consistent messaging about dentist’s employment status and affordable alternatives to NHS care, the statement from the Department of Health and Social Care was even more predictable: "This government is committed to improving access to dentistry. We have already introduced a range of measures to improve access to NHS dentistry in England and we will soon publish a plan to boost access and improve services further.”
Elsie Martlew might have had something to say about that.
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