New Dental Contract to End ‘Drill and Fill’ Culture of Old
Since the Labour government’s 2006 change to dental contracts, many dentists felt pressured from a reward system that focused on the quantity of treatment, rather than the quality.
This week, however, the government announced that trials of a new contract were soon to begin, involving 68 dental practices.
Focus will now be shifted to preventative dentistry, promoting the use of fluoride varnish treatments and increased patient access. The pilot will also reward the results of procedures rather than the number of treatments performed, paying practitioners for the quality rather than the quantity of work they provide.
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley hopes that the new contract will help improve NHS dentistry in the UK, saying, “The government believes dentists should get paid for the quality of treatment they provide rather than simply for the number of treatments. This is not only better for patients, but also a better use of NHS resources.”
It is hoped that by shifting the attention of dentistry to results rather than numbers, the level of dentistry offered in the future will improve, leaving behind the ‘drill and fill’ culture of recent years.
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