‘DIY dentistry’ – kit sales surge reflects choices made by government

They stress the targets imposed on 1 January will be incompatible with addressing the urgent backlog of cases.

Boots the Chemist has reported sales of at-home dental kits for lost fillings, caps, and crowns are up by 87% in the last three months of 2020, compared with the previous year.

Reports of 'DIY dentistry' have been rife since the first lockdown, when all practices in England were shut for face to face care and the network of Urgent Dental Care Centres was dogged by PPE supply problems and restrictive treatment criteria.

Practices have operated at low capacity since they reopened in June owing to COVID restrictions, and remain capable of seeing just a fraction of former patient numbers. While the Welsh Government has set aside ring-fenced funding for ventilation equipment to increase patent throughput, authorities in England are yet to offer commitments.