New dentists could be forced to work in NHS to tackle England’s ‘dental deserts’

Dental graduates in England could be forced to work in the NHS to help tackle the crisis in access that has left millions struggling to get their teeth repaired.

Under the government’s plan they would have to undertake NHS work for “several years” after leaving university or face paying back some of the £200,000 cost of training them.

A fall in the number of dentists doing NHS work has helped create “dental deserts”, where patients cannot get treatment, and prompt some people to turn to “DIY dentistry”, including pulling their own teeth out.

However, the British Dental Association (BDA), which represents dentists, claimed ministers were seeking to “shackle graduates to a service facing collapse” and said the plan would do little to improve access to NHS care.

Victoria Atkins, the health secretary, said: “Taxpayers make a significant investment in training dentists, so it is only right to expect dental graduates to work in the NHS once they’ve completed their training.”

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Source: The Guardian, 23 May 2024