British Dental Association claims most NHS dentists in Northern Ireland are losing money
The British Dental Association (BDA) in Northern Ireland claims that most dentists are losing money on NHS treatments.
Preliminary data suggests that NHS dentists could be losing money on treatments, including fillings, crowns and tooth extractions.
The BDA has suggested that financial pressures are contributing to increased numbers of dentists switching to private dentistry. There are also concerns that NHS dental practices are closing lists, leaving new patients without access to NHS services.
Dental practices receive a set fee from the government for each treatment course provided to patients. The BDA believes that rates are too low due to rising costs, which means that dentists are losing money on NHS services. The body has warned that more dentists will leave the NHS unless the government takes action and boosts funding.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health said that dentists have been supported with extra investment and “uplifts in allowances and expenses.”
Chair of the BDA’s Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee and practice owner, Ciara Gallagher, said, “Everyone’s talking about the cost of living crisis, I’m going to talk about a cost of providing care crisis.” “Within this building, all our material costs have increased in price. Our staff wages have gone up, our electricity costs, our heating costs, they are all skyrocketing.” The BDA said that incomes are not matching outgoings, leaving dentists out of pocket.
Research based on Dr Gallagher’s practice in Downpatrick shows that dentists are currently making a loss on most treatments.
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