Reopen dental practices

Dental services need to resume as close to normal as before with suitable PPE.

Why the contribution is important

Dentists have been closed for nearly 7 weeks now will little or no help from centralised centres. We have been told that we should be prescribing antibiotics and analgesics to deal with issues that do not respond to these modalities. This will increase the issue of antibiotic resistance, an issue we have been trying for years to improve. There is no evidence base for the closing of dental practices or the recommendations we have been given with regard to prescribing. Our patients are unable to seek the care and support they need. Also the longer this goes on the greater the backlog for dental treatment. Our government has let the majority of us down in private practice with little or no support despite the fact that we have a huge impact in reducing the burden on NHS dentistry. If the government open practices to see emergencies only this will do little help for practice owners who will be unable to sustain the practices on this meagre income without government help. This applies also to associates working in private practice who have had no financial support yet still have the same everyday expenses of the general public. I urge the government to allow the resumption of normal dental procedures with additional protocols in place to ensure the safety of patients and practise staff alike.

by chrischisholm on May 09, 2020 at 09:20AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 4.9
Based on: 16 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Jeremy May 09, 2020 at 09:39

    Get dental surgeries open as soon as possible. I understand all the Covid dangers, but in many areas your policies are building up an almost unmanageable backlog of treatments in every field of health. There is a need to start dealing with these issues, rather than kick the can down the road. Trust dental surgeons to do their job safely.
  • Posted by PaultheMason May 09, 2020 at 10:35

    I think they need to find a way to open as it is certainly in the now medium term an essential service but what's the idea for protocols to protect people from transmission. Im not sure about what would be required but I imagine its quite difficult considering the extent that doctors and nurse go to regarding PPE and still contract the virus.
  • Posted by Notmyusername May 11, 2020 at 10:21

    If dental practices open, the state aid should not stop until the practise can return to pre covid19 normal and provisions for PPE expenses are taken into account.
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