Colne Dental Practice Joins NHS Pilot Scheme
A dental practice in Colne, Lancashire, will join the NHS pilot scheme set to shape the new NHS dental contract.
Skipton Road Dental Surgery is one of 29 new dental practices to join the pilot scheme from April. Around 70 practices are already involved in the project and the new practices will test out a traffic light system with the aim to improve oral hygiene.
Members of staff at the surgery will employ the red, amber and green light system from April. Patients will be given a colour when they see their dentist or hygienist for a routine check-up. The aim of the new project is to encourage people to take better care of their oral health and to understand the importance of oral hygiene.
Following the check-up patients will be given advice on how to improve their oral hygiene and health bosses are hoping that the system will make people take notice of their dental hygiene regime and make changes where needed.
The pilot project is also looking into the way that dentists are paid. The current system pays dentists per course of treatment and ministers are eager to change the system so that dentists are paid according to the number of patients they treat. Critics of the current scheme say the payment system has contributed to a ‘drill and fill culture’.
Dr Barry Cockcroft, chief dental officer for England, said it was a priority to identify ways of improving the current NHS dental care system to benefit both patients and dental professionals.
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