Denplan and FMC launch the 2024 Dentistry Census 

Article published: 26 February 2024

Census reveals failure to reform the NHS is directly damaging the nation’s health

• Discontent is high – 74% of NHS dentists do NOT enjoy working in the NHS.
• Reform would drive change – 59% of NHS dentists say that contract reform would make the service more attractive to them as clinicians.
• NHS practice moving to private - 90% of NHS dentists reducing their commitment in the next two years are expecting to do more private work.
• Across the sector, private work is increasing - 81% of all dentists expect to carry out more private work in the next two years.

Biggest independent survey of the UK profession

The 2024 FMC Dentistry Census in partnership with Denplan, part of Simplyhealth discovers most dentists currently with an NHS contract (90%) felt that failure to reform the NHS is directly damaging the nation’s health. Following years of continued demands on access, scrutiny, and pressure the Census revealed the attitudes of almost 3,000 professionals across the dental sector.

As the biggest independent survey conducted of the UK profession; the Dentistry Census comes shortly after the publication of the Government’s Dental Recovery Plan. The Census revealed engagement with the health service is declining, with just 44% of dentists now reporting working in the NHS, compared to 61% in 2021. Despite some promising first steps, the Recovery Plan does not go far enough to address the challenges highlighted from the Census.

Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan, the UK’s leading dental payment plan specialist, part of Simplyhealth explains: “The latest Dentistry Census offers true insight into the feelings and attitudes of the sector.

“While the dental recovery plan has now been shared, we still know there is a long way to go to really address the issues facing the sector. This data demonstrates the collective feelings of the industry and as we head towards a general election, we have an opportunity to champion change."

The full report can be downloaded here: www.dentistry.co.uk/census

About the Dentistry Census

The 2024 Dentistry Census was conducted from April to August 2023, using the web platform Surveymonkey to collect data.

2,992 responses were from across the UK dental profession, asking respondents to self-report on areas relating to their professional lives, ranging from key practice data to a snapshot of their personal feelings on key issues. Areas covered included:

• Salary data and practice financials
• Job satisfaction
• Opinions on the NHS dental contract
• Sustainability in dental practices
• Feelings on dental regulation
• Plans for the future

About Denplan

We are the UK's leading dental payment plan specialist. Since 1986 we have been assisting both patients and practice team members with private dental care, offering a range of dental payment plans to suit every oral health need. Whether you’re an individual, or a business wanting to look after your employees’ oral health we have a plan to help spread the cost of treatments.

Part of Simplyhealth, our mission is to improve access to healthcare for everyone in the UK, offering fast routes to excellent healthcare at affordable prices. Now, more than ever, it’s needed.

We work with more than 6,700 member dentists and serve 1.4 million patients across the UK with affordable access to dentistry. We understand the challenges facing the industry and are committed to working with our member practices to address these issues.

Supporting a preventative approach to private dental care, our plans help patients to stop dental problems before they start. With the very best oral health advice, up-to-date dental knowledge and the latest innovative techniques, our dentists and their practice teams work with our patients so that they can enjoy healthy teeth and gums for life.

We are driven by social purpose and reinvest our profits into new technology and innovation that will benefit not just our customers, but the wider healthcare system, now and in the future. We also invest back into national and local charities that align with our mission to improve access to healthcare.

Our care for the communities around us and the environment has led to us becoming the UK’s first healthcare provider to be awarded B-Corp status, in recognition of our sustainability and social responsibility credentials. Every year we donate £1milllion of our pre-tax profits to charitable partners.

Why we are needed more than ever

The NHS is under unprecedented strain, exacerbated by the pandemic and dentistry is no exception.  Since the NHS was created the requirements of dentistry has evolved and developed beyond the original scope of service.

Prices are rising for NHS care, dentists are struggling to service NHS contracts, and we are seeing many practices forced to close, leaving many people struggling to access dental services.

We understand that while some of this will be due to lack of NHS provision, there are wider problems within the profession around morale, retention and recruitment for dentists and practice team members that are exacerbating the problem.