News feed - Practice Plan

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.

Sunak pledges to ‘restore’ NHS dentistry after report says 90% of practices not taking new patients

Rishi Sunak has pledged to “restore” NHS dentistry by ringfencing its funding, strengthening prevention, and encouraging dentists to stay in the health service.

Dental landscape

Reduction of Post-July DCPs on the register 'remains stable' says GDC - but it's not good news for practices looking for nurses

Scotland: Pension issues add pressure to workforce

GDC publishes ethnicity data for the first time

A disproportionately high number of GDC concerns were raised against Asian or Asian British dentists in 2021, the GDC report says. The GDC has today published its 2021 annual statistics, using equality, diversity and inclusion…

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

CQC comes full circle on regulation

The BDA Dentistry Show returned to the NEC in Birmingham after a two year hiatus. Amongst all of the stands vying for the visitors attention were a couple of organisations who need fear no competition. Read more

BDA: England: Return to ‘business as usual’ order criticised

The BDA has slammed moves by government to effectively return to normal working arrangements for NHS dentists in England. The move comes with no meaningful changes to the pandemic restrictions dental teams work to and with infection rates now at an all-time high. Read more

Records Have Been Deleted – GDC’s Response To FOI Internal Review Request

The ‘transparency’ of the General Dental Council has once again been called into question after the regulator revealed the results of an internal review into its response to a Freedom of Information Request. The original FOI request came from GDP Dr Dominic O’Hooley, who was seeking information about the GDC’s tendering process when… 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

CDO Letter – Full range of NHS dental treatments from 1st November

In a letter released 12th October, Tom Ferris CDO Scotland announced that, as of Sunday 1st November dental contractors will be able to provide a full range of dental treatments to NHS patients. This announcement follows the recent publication of the Scottish Dental Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP) ‘Review of Aerosol Generating… Read more

England’s CDO cuts fallow time requirements for dental practices

All four of the UK’s chief dental officers have accepted recommendations cutting fallow time to potentially 10 minutes. Put together by the working group SDCEP, a pragmatic guide with mitigation factors has been endorsed and incorporated into the latest revision of England’s SOPs. When the correct mitigation and air changes… Read more

Welsh dentists given critical worker status to continue working during lockdown

Vaughan Gething MS has confirmed the Welsh government considers dentists as critical workers, allowing them to continue working during lockdown. In a letter to the Independent Dental Association Wales (IDAW), the Minister for Health and Social Services points out dentists and their teams were not specifically named on the critical… Read more

FGDP(UK) launches a fallow time calculator for dental practices

'A benchmark of 15 to 30 minutes’ – this is the new fallow time recommendation endorsed by the Faculty of General Dental Practice UK. In its updated guidance, the FGDP(UK) and the College of General Dentistry amended its fallow time advice. This follows the publication of a review on AGPs by the… Read more

GDC Chair will step down from role in 2021

Bill Moyes, who has been Chair of the GDC for the past eight years, will stand down from the role in September 2021, , having completed two 4-year terms in the post. The Council is looking for a head-hunter to search for a replacement. The Chair’s job involves 2 days… Read more

Report on resilience of mixed/private practices post-COVID-19 published

A collaborative group of dental bodies have published a report to investigate the validity of the claim “there will be a dearth of dental practices on the high street in 18 months’ time.” Read more

ADG urges government action to avoid crisis

The Association of Dental Groups (ADG) is calling on ministers to take urgent action on the crisis in UK dentistry. The full impact that lockdown has had on the nation’s teeth is yet to be seen. The fear is that people are consuming more sugary treats, fizzy drinks and alcohol. Read more

BADT & BSDHT urge action about overseas registration

Two hygiene and therapy bodies are lobbying the GDC about the overseas registering of dentists as hygienists and therapists. BADT and BSDHT Presidents have taken the unprecedented action of writing to all Council members of the GDC ensuring awareness is raised, and demanding the "daughter test" is applied. Read more

Public Health England to be scrapped and replaced

PHE is to be replaced by a new agency that will specifically deal with protecting the UK from pandemics. It's been claimed that a new body would be modelled on Germany's Robert Koch Institute. The move comes as ministers are said to be unhappy with PHE's response to COVID-19. Read more

New association launched for independent dentists in Wales

IDA Wales is open to all dental practitioners in Wales who provide any form or quantity of independently funded/private dental treatment. The group aims to provide 'a strong voice for the non-NHS aspects of dental provision' and is already gaining ‘seats at the table’ positions with HIW and the CDO Wales. Read more

BAPD calls for resignation of the Chief Dental Officer

The BAPD has called for the resignation of the Chief Dental Officer (CDO) Sara Hurley in response to a letter she sent to MPs. They say the letter's content bears ‘scant resemblance’ to the state of dentistry since COVID-19 struck and have asked for clarification. Read more

Jason Wong appointed as the new Deputy Chief Dental Officer

Jason Wong MBE has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Dental Officer (CDO). The appointment follows the retirement of Janet Clarke last year. Dr Wong, a partner at Maltings Dental Practice, will share the role with fellow existing Deputy CDO Eric Rooney. Read more

Government pledges to hold postponed inquiry into dentistry

The Government has pledged to hold a planned inquiry into dentistry that was postponed due to last year’s General Election. Jeremy Hunt, chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, will hold the inquiry looking into issues surrounding the profession. Read more