Successive governments have struggled to tackle rising childhood obesity and it is not clear that the Department of Health & Social Care’s (DHSC) current programme will be able to make the step change needed in the timescale available, according to a recent report by the National Audit Office. Sugar consumption has reduced by less than 3% since 2015.
No comments
Jim Lafferty has successfully swum the English Channel from Dover to Calais in 11 hours and 53 minutes, to raise over £5,000 for Dentaid. From Sheffield this well-known dentist also works as a dentolegal consultant for Dental Protection. You can still sponsor his challenge by visiting:
By Paul Felton
The General Dental Council is facing further criticism from registrants after it released September’s registration report.
Registrants were incensed in June when the GDC refused to introduce an emergency payment by instalment scheme [PBI] to alleviate financial hardship brought to Dental Care Professionals caused by the national shutdown of dentistry as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. With many DCP’s struggling to make ends meet, there was anticipation that many would not be able to afford the £114 registration fee.
Read more: Post Lockdown Registration Figures For DCP’s Are Down
People are being forced to pay for private dental care if their problem is ‘not emergency’ says the watchdog, Healthwatch, England. They said they had heard it from people unable to access treatment. They said that in some instances people have “no choice” but to pay for private dental care if their issue is not considered to be an emergency.
Read more: People are being forced to pay for private dental care says Healthwatch England
NHS Digital has issued its report on dentists’ activity last year. 21.0 million adults and 6.3 million children were seen by an NHS dentist in the 24 months leading up to June 30, 2020, but this was affected by the Covid-19 shut down and is likely to decline further in the coming months, as the effects of the cross-infection control measures become apparent.
Read more: Fewer NHS patients seen as Covid-19 restrictions bite
The British Dental Association has called on the Chancellor to set out his response to a new report underlining the need for coherent support for dental services, particularly for mixed and private services. In an open letter to Rishi Sunak the BDA has called on the department to set aside the ‘boilerplate responses’ and develop a coherent, funded plan to maintain the viability of the sector.
Read more: BDA calls on Chancellor to set out action plan for dental service
NASDAL has contributed to a working group, which reported to the CDO on the validity of the claim “there will be a dearth of dental practices on the high street in 18 months’ time”. Alan Suggett, Media Officer of NASDAL said it was clear that most dental practices are fundamentally sound businesses, but to see a good number in potential difficulty purely because of capital loan repayments, ‘is a real concern’.
Read more: NASDAL gives evidence on state of dental practices in 18 months time
The Oral Health Foundation has given its seal of approval to the Bambooth series of toothbrushes, (not illustrated) which help aid good oral health and provide an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic brushes. The toothbrush handles are made from muso bamboo, the world’s fastest-growing renewable resource, which is also completely biodegradable. The brush also has a thinner neck for better handling in the mouth.
Read more: Bamboo brush awarded Oral Health Foundation's seal of approval
In a recent report, which makes no mention of oral health, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) has called on ministers to go further than the Government’s own obesity crackdown measures by extending its sugar tax, which is already applied to fizzy drinks, to unhealthy foods. They recommend that a non-essential levy of 8% is applied to unhealthy foods.
Read more: Sugar tax on sweets and chocolate could help save the NHS £66 billion