Predicting what British dentistry, and in particular any NHS service will look like even five years from now, is challenging. Those trying to envisage their future might take a good look at the latest set of figures published by the GDC. There are some clear trends and they do not look promising for those hoping to continue ‘business as usual.‘
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A recent BBC report states that dentists in Northern Ireland have removed over 53,000 NHS patients from their practice lists in the past two years.
Read more: Northern Ireland Concentrates on Emergency Dental Service
Recent research published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine highlights a troubling disparity in earnings between general practitioners (GPs) working in deprived areas and those in more affluent regions. On average, GPs in less affluent communities earn £5,525 less annually than their counterparts, despite often managing larger and more complex patient populations. This disparity underscores the broader issue of persistent health inequalities across the United Kingdom and calls for urgent governmental intervention.
They used to be known to many for making jam, then it was the naked ladies of the Calendar Girls. Now the Women‘s Institute has turned its attention to the serious issue of the dental access crisis.
Read more: The WI Speaks Out: Effects of Dental Access Crisis on Women
A new toolkit ‘Service Evaluation into the use of Alternative Augmentative Communication‘ aims to improve communications between the dental team and children with learning disabilities.
Read more: Children's Non-Verbal Toolkit Wins BSPD 2025 Outstanding Innovation Award
Although dental practice closures have become a regular event, one group of patients in Northampton will be feeling especially hard done by.
Read more: Patients Stranded Mid-treatment After Practice Closes
In stark contrast to the last Government’s dental recovery plan, recently the subject of withering criticism by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) there is a recent mobile dental van success story.
"Look after your teeth as you can‘t grow new ones" is advice many adults recall receiving in their youth, either from parents, or a caring dental surgeon.
With each new headline the recovery of NHS dentistry, certainly as it has been known since 1948, looks increasingly unlikely. A new story from Cornwall ties some of the causal comorbidities together.