Mandatory vaccination: dentistry set to face collateral damage despite U-turn

Under the regulations fast-tracked through parliament in December, staff in both NHS and private practice risked dismissal if they were not double jabbed by April, leaving February 3 the effective deadline for a first vaccination. Over 1,000 NHS dentists left the service in the last year, and recruitment and retention problems are already endemic among both dentists and the wider team.

The service is already facing unprecedented backlogs, with over 38 million NHS dental appointments lost since the first lockdown due to the initial suspension of face-to-face care and ongoing infection control measures.

In response to a BDA survey in December, one in 10 high street dentists said they were not fully vaccinated, with nine per cent reporting they had not had their first jab. Less than two-thirds of respondents believed all dentists operating in their practices were fully vaccinated, with less than half saying their dental nurses, who are integral to the delivery of care, were fully vaccinated. Over 30 per cent believed dental nurses at their practices would leave as a result of the mandate.