All the latest dentistry news, all in one place.

Our dental news feed will be regularly updated to help you stay informed and keep up-to-date with everything that's happening in the industry.

Contract Reform, NHS

Contract Delays Must Stop, LDC Conference Is Told

NHS contract reform “Needs to be in place for April next year” the national Local Dental Committee Conference was told at the weekend. “I know that’s ambitious, but time is running out.  The decade of delay and…

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​CDOs commit to roadmap

In response to our calls to commission a roadmap to ease COVID restrictions, all four UK Chief Dental Officers have issued a rare joint statement, committing to a review. Sara Hurley, Tom Ferris, Colette Bridgman and…

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New COVID Dental Study Leads To More Confusion

A newly-published study on the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in dental workers, has further clouded the true picture of infection risk in dental practice. In June 2020, researchers at the University of Birmingham, took blood samples…

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COVID-19, NHS

Dentistry takes top spot for most delayed healthcare service

Dentistry comes first on the list of the most delayed healthcare services in the UK.  In an Oral Health Foundation survey, almost half (45%) reported dental appointment or treatment delays in the last 12 months.…

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Contract Reform COVID-19 Finance Mental Health NHS Practice Management Regulation

Are you eligible for the COVID-19 bonus payment?

Dental professionals with an NHS contract in Wales are eligible for a one-off bonus payment as a result of COVID-19. In March, the Welsh government announced that NHS and social care staff will be awarded a bonus payment as a thank you for their work during the pandemic. The one-off… Read more

Good Oral Hygiene May Be Protective Against Severe COVID-19

Good oral hygiene and gum health may be the key to saving patients from developing severe  COVID-19 illness. New research has demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 present in infected people’s saliva could pass into their lungs by moving directly from the mouth to the bloodstream, particularly if the individuals are suffering… Read more

COVID Has Led To Bruxism ‘Pandemic’

Dentists worldwide are  reporting a surge in tooth grinding caused by pandemic stress. Practitioners from the UK and many other countries have been noticing a substantial increase in the numbers of cracked teeth caused by bruxing since COVID-19 was identified and lockdowns were imposed. The Irish Dental Association  said this week “While… Read more

COVID-19 – pandemic led to spike in dental-related redundancy queries

Redundancy and absence queries were among the top five reasons for dental professionals requesting advice and guidance. This is according to a new survey carried out by the Dental Defence Union (DDU). The COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant increase in the number of queries coming from dental professionals. The top… Read more

Suspension on requirement for patient signature on dental forms extended

The government has confirmed that the exemption on patient prescription signing will be extended by three months.  The Department of Health and Social Care have announced that patients will not have to sign dental forms up until 30 June 2021. Last November, the government enforced the move in a bid to reduce… Read more

NHS dental targets increase to 60% from April

NHS dental practices will need to hit 60% of their pre-COVID activity under new requirements.  This was announced under a new statement from CDO Sara Hurley and director of primary care commissioning transformation, Gabi Darby. From 1 January 2021, dental practices were asked to deliver 45% of their contracts in order… Read more

NASDAL’S Verdict On The Pandemic Not All Gloom

The coronavirus pandemic didn’t bring all gloom to dentistry according to NASDAL’s ‘State of the Nation’ press conference. The National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers has said that against what many may have expected, the latest period showed very little reduction in practice values due to the pandemic. Read more

Pandemic Was A ‘Dental Disaster’ Says FDI

The President of the World Dental Federation (FDI) has called the oral health aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic ‘A dental disaster.’ Dr Gerhard Konrad Seeberger said "Restrictions have certainly played a part in oral health hesitancy, but they don’t tell the whole story.”  He added "Let’s call it for what it is—a dental… Read more

New research sees consumer fear over visiting dentists grow

New research from GSK Consumer Healthcare, in partnership with IPSOS, has revealed changing attitudes towards dentistry within the UK, as more British people than in any other European country have stopped visiting the dentist as a result of the pandemic. While 64 per cent of Europeans plan to visit a… Read more

The threats to dental practices as we come out of lockdown

Johnny Minford looks at the biggest of the current threats to dental practices as lockdown eases. As we went through last autumn, progressing past the sometimes confusing messages given during that lockdown, there was a hopefulness in the air that practising would continue to get more straightforward. Few thought it… Read more

The Future Of Dentistry Roundtable – Coronavirus Exposed Issues

The coronavirus has “exposed and exacerbated the issues facing mixed and private practices across the UK,” a roundtable on the future of dentistry has heard. Catherine Rutland, Clinical Director at SimplyHealth told a virtual roundtable “We all know from first-hand experience, that over the last 12 months practice teams have done… Read more

‘They feel undervalued’ – how has COVID-19 impacted dental nursing over the last 12 months?

Going back to last March, up until now, how has dental nursing been impacted by the pandemic? I can only answer in relation to my own experience as BADN president – certainly in the very beginning we had lots of calls into the office. It was a real unknown, the… Read more

Good News On Practice Sales, Despite Pandemic

Despite the pandemic and lockdowns, interest in  dental practice ownership appears to be growing. A report released by Christie and Co showed some unexpected results during the lockdown - an increase in enquiries from first-time buyers. The specialist business property advisor said in its ‘Dental Market Review 2020/21’ that the age profiles of first-time… Read more

One third of practice owners have a higher revenue now than before COVID-19

This is according to the latest dental market review from Christie & Co. In March 2020, dental practices were forced to close as countries across the world were plunged into lockdown. But the report states that as reopening plans became clearer, confidence in the dental market began to return. Some… Read more

Anti-Covid Effectiveness Of Mouthwash To Be Investigated

A clinical trial has been launched to test whether mouthwash can reduce a person’s risk of spreading coronavirus. Although laboratory experiments have shown mouthwash can quickly kill coronaviruses, there’s no evidence yet available to show  mouthwash can prevent the virus from infecting people. The Adams School of Dentistry at the University… Read more

Swapping local anaesthetic syringes for COVID-19 vaccines

As the COVID vaccine rollout gathers pace, Keshana Kuruparan explains why dentists should help with the vaccination programme. As we approach a year since England’s first lockdown, it is important to reflect on the insurmountable challenges we have all faced. But to also acknowledge how far we have come as… Read more

NHS staff inundated with almost 140,000 spam emails in 2020

NHS staff were inundated with more than 137,000 spam or phishing emails last year. This is according to the latest figures from NHS Digital. Obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, NHS employees reported 27,958 suspected phishing emails targeting their email service. These were drafted in a bid to encourage… Read more

London worst affected by lockdown dentist closures

New data released by the NHS has revealed the impact of lockdown-enforced dentist closures in England, with patients in London worst affected as available appointments plummeted to 21 per cent less than 2019. Almost a year on from the initial government-enforced national lockdown, the NHS has released figures which highlight… Read more

‘Forgotten healthcare profession’ – dental nurse turned away from vaccine appointment

A dental nurse was turned away from a vaccination centre – despite dental team members qualifying for priority access to the COVID-19 jab.  Michelle Martin, a dental nurse at Barrowford Dental Practice, said her colleague, Lisa Clarkin, was denied a vaccine at her local hub after turning up for her appointment. The… Read more

Study Shows Hygienists At Low Risk Of COVID-19

A study  carried out in the US suggests dental hygienists have experienced a low rate of COVID-19 infection, despite being considered high-risk. The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and the American Dental Association released data from nearly 4,800 dental hygienists working in all 50 US states, as well as Puerto Rico. HealthDay News reported only… Read more

NHS Calls For Pay Concerns To Be Aired

NHS dental associates who haven’t been paid fully during the pandemic are being encouraged to give voice to their pay concerns. NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) has launched a new pay concerns year-end form on behalf of NHS England and NHS Improvement. The BSA has said “The expectation from NHS England and NHS Improvement… Read more

COVID-19: Mouthwash can kill coronavirus within 30 seconds, study finds

Oral rinses containing 0.07% of the ingredient cetylpyridinium chloride show "promising signs" of reducing COVID-19. Mouthwash is able to kill COVID-19 within 30 seconds of exposure to it in a laboratory, a scientific study has found. The preliminary findings, which are yet to be peer reviewed, come ahead of a… Read more

Coronavirus: Dentists warn millions of treatments have been missed

Dentists have provided around 19m fewer treatments in England since March this year compared to the same period last year, figures show. British Dental Association (BDA) analysis, seen by the BBC, shows practices operating at a fraction of their capacity during the pandemic. It warns hundreds of practices could be… Read more

Dental profession calls for permanent VAT exemption on PPE

Dentists are calling for a permanent VAT exemption on personal protective equipment (PPE) to help healthcare settings fight COVID-19.  Kicked off by James Goolnik, a petition has been launched calling on the government to scrap VAT on PPE, including gloves, masks and aprons. Earlier this year, a temporary exemption was… Read more

England lockdown from 5 November

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Saturday evening, we are seeking urgent clarification as to the position of dental services during the four week period of additional restrictions from 5 November. Based on the Government guidance so far published our interpretation is that dental practices will continue to operate as at present.… Read more