Dentists: higher examination fees will do little to address the backlog of unmet patient care

Whilst apparently a positive move on the face of it, the reality is that many dentists will have very limited capacity to increase examinations as they already have an enormous number of patients awaiting treatment. Colleagues have reported that they continue to focus on urgent treatment and that it will be several months before they can see patients for routine treatment. With high covid transmission rates, continued restrictions in how dental practices operate, and many staff self-isolating, dentists are a long way from returning to "business as usual".

These examinations will also require additional time (especially where a full periodontal charting is needed) which will negate the higher fees. This demonstrates a lack of understanding of how dental practices operate. The BDA's Scottish Dental Practice Committee have continually asked for the methodology Scottish government uses to determine fees. The new examination fees will purchase around eight minutes of clinical time from when the patient enters the practice until they leave; if the consultation exceeds eight minutes, practices will incur a financial loss. The BDA has repeatedly stressed that the government needs to discuss proposals at an early stage and to take account of dentists' feedback.