Inquiry suggests dental contracts are discouraging dentists from working in poorer parts of Wales
An inquiry has suggested that existing dental contracts are discouraging dentists from working in some of Wales’ poorest regions.
Since 2006, dentists have been paid a set fee based on the procedures they carry out on a patient. This means that a dentist will receive the same payment for one filling as they would for multiple fillings. As such, experts believe that dentists are avoiding taking on patients in less affluent towns and moving to poorer areas, as standards of oral health tend to be lower, and therefore, dentists are expected to perform more work for the same salary. As issues like decay are also more widespread, it’s also harder for practices in deprived areas to meet targets.
Dai Lloyd, assembly health committee chair, claimed that the current contract “makes little sense” and urged ministers to explore changes, which would make the system more effective, and provide additional incentives for dentists to accept more patients in poorer parts of the country.
The Welsh Government is currently reviewing reforms, and two practices based in Swansea have been trialling new systems. The pilot scheme, which has enabled the surgeries to move away from the contract system and focus more on preventative measures, has enjoyed a great deal of success, and members of staff have spoken about an instant impact. Dentists feel more able to tackle more complex cases, and they’re also putting more emphasis on prevention, rather than cure. At the moment, the current contract doesn’t reward preventative care significantly, and altering this could improve standards of oral health among patients and morale among staff.
