1,000 signatures reached
To: The House of Commons
Stop Privatisation of Dental Care
We need to discontinue the current unworkable NHS dental contract and instead bring dental services fully back into the NHS through a National Dental Service.
The current NHS dental contract has failed and UDAs (Units of Dental Activity) do not match the time required for dentists to provide dental care to their patients. In England only £35 is spent per person on dental care, compared to £47 in Wales, £55 in Scotland and £56 in Northern Ireland, making funding and the system unviable for most dentists undertaking NHS work.
Why is this important?
Patients must deal with extremely long waiting lists to see a dentist. In order to reduce waiting times, more dentists need to be trained up in the UK to meet future shortages through commissioning a number of new dental schools, including in the joint universities of York and Hull and in other locations, to run alongside their outstanding medical schools.
There is a need to address the workforce challenges within a dental workforce plan and preventative dental care through fluoridation should be accelerated, as well as a school check-up service and supervised brushing programme.
Everyone over the age of 60 should be prioritised since poor dental health can lead to malnutrition and other comorbidities.
The current NHS dental contract has failed. All oral health services need to be brought fully back into the NHS through a properly funded National Dental Service, delivered locally and free to all.