The Future of Dentistry: Unlocking solutions to improving oral health
Recommendations to improve the future of dentistry
Denplan is working to improve access to oral healthcare for all in the UK
Using insight from our members and our consumer survey into the dental habits of Great Britain, this report outlines member priorities and insights from patients. It includes an overarching recommendation for all aspects of the dental sector – including representatives from the NHS, private practice, dental schools, regulatory bodies, and patient advocacy groups – to have a seat at the table in conversations about access to oral healthcare across the UK, with a focus on ensuring access for the most vulnerable.
There are recommendations across three areas:
1. Empower and elevate the entire dental workforce
The government should work with the dental sector to support the training and personal development of dental professionals’ careers in order to improve retention and recruitment issues; and practices should be given guidance on how training can support the use of the whole dental team, to allow them to operate at the top of their capabilities and improve practice capacity.
2. Prioritise and expand preventative care initiatives
There should be a greater focus on reducing the incidence of disease rather than addressing issues as they arise. Routes to this include improved local commissioning of oral health improvement programmes; a formal role for dentists on Integrated Care Boards to ensure dentistry is prioritised and funding is allocated; national campaigns on oral health and stronger legislation; and regulation on unhealthy food and drink.
3. Ensure financial sustainability and reform funding models
The government and the NHS must seek to balance the delivery of care through different payment models, putting patient care first; provide a timeline for consultation on the dental contract; issue centralised guidance to commissioners on how to fairly modify contracts to allow dentists to operate more sustainably; and prioritise guidance around flexible commissioning to ensure children and vulnerable adults have consist access to NHS dental services.
Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at Denplan
In early 2021, we published our first white paper on The Future of Dentistry. Amid the pandemic, with altered working practices and limited access to dental care for patients, it was vital that the government understood the challenges faced by our members and stakeholders across the profession. Over three years later, the urgency to address these issues remains. This new report outlines our members’ priorities and insights for shaping a positive future for dentistry
Over the past few years, the importance of the dental sector for the health and wellbeing of the nation has been made devastatingly clear, with reports of ‘DIY dentistry’ becoming commonplace and almost a quarter of 5-year-olds experiencing dental decay.1,2
It is more important than ever that we are listening to those who are at the front lines, delivering the care that is desperately needed across the country.
This report highlights the critical needs for a concerted effort to address the growing oral health crisis and prioritise prevention. Despite its significant impact on individuals’ health and well-being, the healthcare system and the broader economy, oral healthcare has not been given the same priority as other areas of health in policymaking at both national and local levels.
Read more from our clinical director Catherine Rutland about the roundtable event where we launched the white paper with 12 leaders across the dentistry sector and how the discussion unfolded.
The Future of Dentistry: Unlocking solutions to improving oral health
References:
1.. British Dental Association (2024). 8 in 10 dentists seeing cases of ‘DIY’ dentistry. Available at: www.bda.org/media-centre/8-in-10-dentists-seeing-cases-of-diy-dentistry (Accessed November 2024)
2. Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (2023) National Dental Epidemiology Programme (NDEP) for England: Oral Health Survey of 5 year Old Children 2022. Available at: www.gov.uk/government/statistics/oral-health-survey-of-5-year-old-children-2022/national-dental-epidemiology-programme-ndep-for-england-oral-health-survey-of-5-year-old-children-2022. (Accessed November 2024)