Private health insurance only, could be dental future

Mon, 11 Dec 2006

The Dental Practitioners’ Association has revealed that millions of dental patients may be denied NHS dental treatment in the months leading up to the next financial year.

According to the DPA, soaring numbers of dentists are meeting treatment targets. This means that they will not be paid to provide NHS services. The result will be, simply, that all those who rely on benefits for their dentistry will have to wait.

The news flies in the face of new dentists’ contract launched by the Department of Health earlier this year. Funding has already run out for many practices as quotas have been met.

The chief executive of the DPA, Derek Watson, said: "This problem was always going to become apparent at some point. It is especially worrying that it has become apparent now, with a third of the financial year to go. Dentists who want to do NHS work should be encouraged, but they are running up against the Department of Health's buffers. The poorest patients are disadvantaged the most, because they don't have the choice of going private."

Dental insurance and dental cash plans may be the solution for some consumers.
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