NHS Dentists demand support as ‘dental inflation’ rises

NHS dentists need real support from the UK government to withstand the impact of ‘dental inflation’, which, according to a new analysis, is standing at over eleven per cent.
Data from official sources have shown the vast inflationary pressures that dentists face, with nearly a fifth of dentists seeing their utility bills rise by more than 50% and lab bills increasing on average by 15%.
Following the real-term pay cuts, it is demanded that all UK health departments guarantee that uplifts on expenses at least keep pace with inflation to guarantee that dentists are not delivering NHS care at a financial loss.
Clearly, failure to keep pace with increasing costs will have real penalties for practices as they struggle to retain dentists and staff and deliver care.
In England, the funding given to practices for Dental Foundation Training has also been frozen since 2010. This payment remains at just over five thousand pounds, whereas – had it been lifted in line with inflation – it would now be over eight thousand pounds, a fall of one-third.
The funding provided to practices for Dental Foundation Training, in England, has been stalled since 2010. This payment remains at approximately five thousand pounds; however, had it been lifted in correlation with inflation – it would have dropped by one-third to over eight thousand pounds.
Peter Crooks, the BDA’s Deputy Chair has stated: “Dentists have been handed another real-terms pay cut. It would be foolhardy for officials to apply the same logic to their expenses, given the soaring costs of delivering dentistry. Dental inflation is soaring. Many dentists are already reconsidering their future in the NHS, and if governments fail to step up, it will have devastating consequences for millions of patients. No frontline health professional should be expected to provide NHS care at a financial loss.”