Birmingham Dentists Take Part in Pilot Scheme
Nine dental practices in Birmingham are participating in a national pilot scheme to try and encourage more people to visit their dentist and reduce rates of tooth decay among children.
Birmingham was recently highlighted as a hotspot for poor oral health, after figures showed that a third of five year olds had decayed teeth. Research has also confirmed that fewer people in the area are seeing a dentist on a regular basis and figures showed that 50,000 fewer people are visiting a dentist compared to five years ago.
The new pilot scheme involves paying dentists in a different way. The dental contract brought in by the Labour government in 2006 paid dentists based on the number of courses of treatment they provided, while the new system will pay dentists according to the number of patients they treat. The old contract has been criticised for creating a ‘drill and fill’ culture and government ministers are keen to introduce a new contract, which will focus on childrens’ oral health, preventative dental care and dental education.
Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, said that it was great to see practices in the West Midland signing up to take part in the pilot programme. The practices involved in the pilot scheme include University Dental Care, Edgbaston, Henry Road Dental Practice in Yardley, Amblecote Dental Practice, Dudley, South Road Dental Surgery, Stourbridge, Hillbrook Dental Health Centre in Balsall Heath and West Park Dental in Smethwick.
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