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A digest of news reports and press comment specifically selected for Dental
Practice Managers
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Headlines w/c 8th March 2010
Dentists upset over 2010-11 funding award
The British Dental Association (BDA) has expressed disappointment at today's (Wednesday) announcement of the pay uplift for dentists for 2010/11.
The Department of Health has announced that salaried dentists have been awarded a 1% increase, while general dental practitioners have been awarded an increase that, after efficiency savings have been taken account of, is designed to produce a 0.9% uplift on contract values.
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2605
New government faces major challenges on dentistry, says BDA manifesto
The BDA suggests the next government will inherit a flawed dental contract, an unacceptable chasm in oral health inequalities, and inconsistent commissioning of dentistry by PCTS.
That's the legacy the government elected this year will have to deal with, according to the British Dental Association's (BDA's) manifesto for the forthcoming General Election, Smiles all round, which is published today (Monday 8 March).
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2599
Headlines w/c 1st March 2010
Dental Access Newsletter
Issue 8 of Access@dental newsletter has been published -
http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/accessdental/issue8/issue8.html
NHS dental statistics for England: 2Q 2009
The NHS Information Centre has published its latest set of dental statistics showing improvements in the number of patients seen across all SHAs, courses of treatment delivered and dental activity -
http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/news//3965
CPD returns for dentists 2010
The General Dental Council (GDC) is asking all dentists to fill in their continuing professional development (CPD) returns ahead of the 30 March 2010 deadline -
http://www.gdc-uk.org/News+publications+and+events/
News+releases/CPD+returns+for+dentists+2010.htm
Volunteers needed to pilot new online portfolio
The Faculty of General Dental Practice is developing an innovative new online portfolio system which it expects will provide significant value to all members -
http://www.bdpma.org.uk/news/news.html
Headlines w/c 22nd February 2010
Dental Access Programme
Access to NHS dental services is a top health priority for patients and a key priority for the Secretary of State. The Dental Access Programme was established to improve access to NHS dental care. The programme aims to ensure that any eligible person in England seeking NHS dental services will be able to access them by 2011. Read Mike Warburton's latest newsletter at:
http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/accessdental/issue7/issue7.html
Steele dentistry pilots starting soon
Major changes to the NHS dental contract will be piloted from the autumn, the government has confirmed, as new figures showed the amount of dentistry undertaken by the NHS has risen.
The Department of Health has invited formal expressions of interest from dentists and PCTs keen to test recommendations contained in last year's Steele Review.
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2557
Dental board to oversee Steele pilots
A new group has been set up to oversee the implementation of the Steele Review recommendations to improve dental services for patients.
Professor Jimmy Steele, who led the Independent Review of NHS Dental Services, has joined the implementation board that will ensure the delivery of the review's recommendations. Chief dental officer (CDO) Barry Cockcroft and John Milne, chair of the general dental practice committee are also members of the board.
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2563
Keen response to latest dental stats
Health minister Ann Keen has welcomed new NHS figures on dental access as 'great news for patients'.
The figures, from the independent NHS Information Centre (IC), reveal that 28.2 million people saw a dentist in the two years to the end of 2009 - up 18,000 (0.1%) on the two years to the end of March 2006, the period directly before the introduction of new contracting arrangements, which prompted many dentists to abandon the NHS.
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2567
Headlines w/c 15th February 2010
Dentistry and dental services
Details from the Department of Health:
Following publication of the report the Department of Health established, last autumn, the 'Steel Implementation Programme' to implement, through piloting, the key recommendations. The overarching aim is to ensure that, as set out in the Steele review, the NHS dental service moves from a service focused on activity, to one that is a true oral health service. The Steele review recommended extensive piloting and robust evaluation of its key proposals to test the right range of incentives to promote access, quality and oral health improvement. We are now asking for expressions of interest in taking part in piloting. Piloting will initially take place in two waves. We are designing a number of 'whole system' options, which we aim to pilot from this autumn. We are also looking to launch a small first wave of pioneer pilots - to begin this April.
Full details of the Pilot Programme are at:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Primarycare/Dental/index.htm
Continue engagement over Steele, government urged
Continued and detailed engagement with the profession is vital to the success of the Steele Review pilots.
That's the verdict of Dr John Milne, Chair of the British Dental Association's (BDA's) General Dental Practice Committee (GDPC).
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2533
Children’s dental health gap ‘has widened’
Dental experts are urging the government to focus on the prevention of dental decay in under fives following a new report into children's health. A study on child health in England found that dental health among the under fives is declining and that the overall health gap between the richest and poorest children has become wider. Now the British Dental Health Foundation is calling for more awareness in spearhead areas following the report, published by the Audit Commission.
http://www.dentistry.co.uk/news/news_detail.php?id=2535
Headlines w/c 8th February 2010
Dental Access Programme
Access to NHS dental services is a top health priority for patients and a key priority for the Secretary of State. The Dental Access Programme was established to improve access to NHS dental care. The programme aims to ensure that any eligible person in England seeking NHS dental services will be able to access them by 2011. Read Mike Warburton's latest newsletter at:
http://www.pcc.nhs.uk/accessdental/issue7/issue7.html