Government urged to prioritise dentistry

The organisation has also emphasised the importance of child oral health, support for the dental workforce and GDC reform, to ensure dentistry is not an afterthought.

The recommendations are outlined in Dental Protection’s submission to the government’s Change NHS consultation, which is being undertaken as part of the development of the 10-Year Health Plan.

Raj Rattan, Dental Protection’s dental director, said, “The government’s forthcoming 10-year plan for the NHS must speak to the critical issues currently impacting dental professionals and patients.

“There are a number of long overdue reforms that would significantly improve the delivery of dental care and the patient experience. Access to NHS dentistry must surely be a high priority. On a societal level, it is clear that there is a gap between the public health ideals in the UK and actual service provision. In a country that aspires to provide a state health service based on need, the government has a moral and ethical obligation to assure and ensure a reasonable array of public health and other necessary interventions.”