The College has responded to a new report from the Nuffield Trust called 'Bold action or slow decay? The state of NHS dentistry and future policy actions'. The report concluded that "NHS dentistry is at its most perilous point in its 75-year history".
Grant McIntyre, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said:
These recent findings by the Nuffield Trust on NHS dentistry raise significant concerns shared by many dental professionals across the UK.
It is imperative that the government promptly discloses the specifics of its dental recovery plan, with a strong emphasis on decisive and immediate support for the sector to protect patient safety.
The ongoing shortage of access to NHS dentistry not only profoundly affects the dental health of the population but also poses alarming risks for the delayed detection of head and neck cancers.
The recent overhaul of the NHS dentistry payment system in Scotland is a positive step that could be emulated by other UK nations. Its new focus on prevention rather than reactive treatment compensates dentists for both aspects, addressing the mounting waiting list challenges within the NHS and enhancing access to dental care.
We advocate for similar moves across the UK, enabling dentists to operate within a system characterised by high trust and minimal bureaucracy. This approach empowers them to exercise clinical discretion in providing a comprehensive package of oral health promotion-based oral healthcare.
- RCSEd was first incorporated as the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1505 and is based in Edinburgh and Birmingham.
- It is one of the oldest surgical corporations in the world with a global membership of more than 32,000, including 15,000 members in the UK.
- The College also has a significant worldwide presence with members in over 140 countries.
- The College promotes the highest standards of surgical and dental practice through education, training and examinations, its liaison with external medical bodies and representation of the modern surgical and dental workforce.
- The College has six faculties: The Faculty of Dental Surgery, The Faculty of Surgical Trainers, The Faculty of Dental Trainers, The Faculty of Perioperative Care, The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care and The Faculty of Remote, Rural and Humanitarian Healthcare.
- It is also home to the UK’s only Faculty of Surgical Trainers, open to all those with an interest in surgical training regardless of College affiliation.
- Find RCSEd at www.rcsed.ac.uk, on X (formerly known as Twitter), on Facebook, and Instagram.
For further information, please contact comms@rcsed.ac.uk.