Due to government failure, morale among dentists is at an all-time low

Official data shows that more than 60% of dentists in England are considering leaving the dental profession NHS. The British Dental Association has lamented the government’s inability to tackle the growing exodus from the world NHS workforce, as new official data shows these numbers will rise.

Data on dentists’ working patterns, motivation and morale shows morale is now at an all-time low with just 16% of dental practice owners and 18% of dental workers in England saying morale is high, a record low result for both groups . 6 in 10 of all dentists say their morale is low or very low.

With millions of people across England affected by the access crisis, 64% of practice owners and 61% of affiliated dentists in England are considering leaving NHS dentistry.

The BDA has described the government’s recent recovery plan as ‘not worthy of the title’ and has criticized the non-stop spin of ministers trying to defend their unambitious and unfunded policies.

Minister of Dentistry Andrea Leadsom MP told Parliament last week that “it is not the case that dentists are disappearing from the world NHS”, citing the supposed ‘growth’ of 1,352 dentists, compared to 2010 figures. The reality is NHS The number of dentists has fallen to levels not seen since 2017, with today’s data showing a steady decline in the share NHS work that dentists do.

Last month the Secretary of State was forced to correct the official record after informing Parliament that the plan was being funded by £200 million of ‘new’ money. It is funded entirely by recycling underspend in the agency’s existing £3 billion budget, which has been cut by a third in real terms since 2010. The government has tried to claim that 500 practices are now taking new forms NHS patients as a result of this package. The reality is that officials just changed the definition of “access.” NHS.uk.

A recent poll of dentists in England by the BDA found that only 3% think the plan will lead to their practice seeing better results NHS patients. 43% believe the plan will actually result in their practice seeing fewer people NHS patients. Only 1% of respondents believe that the plan can meet the government’s stated objective NHS dental care for ‘anyone who needs it’.

The BDA has criticized the government for rejecting the Health and Social Care Committee’s key recommendation to break with the discredited NHS contract, which fuels this exodus. It emphasizes that any progress depends on real reforms and sustainable financing.

BDA chairman Eddy Crouch said:

“This government has not given dentists any reason to be cheerful.

“The Prime Minister promised to ‘restore’ this service, but all we have had are distorted and unfunded, unambitious plans.

‘That is not possible NHS dentistry without NHS dentists. Without real reforms, ministers will not make this a place where dentists want to work.”