When professional leaders and politicians discuss solutions to the UK dental access crisis, prevention is a key feature of their recovery plans. Increasing political polarisation may hinder one of the main planks in this strategy.
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A dental practice in Darnall, Sheffield, that used clawback money to onboard 4000 new patients has told the BBC that it is now struggling to provide continuing care for them due to the withdrawal of funding.
At first glance the recent statistics provided by the GDC from the 2024 registrant data give a positive picture of the UK dental workforce. As recently reported in GDPUK ,there were increases in the numbers of almost all categories of registrant, including dentists.
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.‘
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