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The dental workforce
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Last modified date:25 October 2007
In July 2004, DH published Report of the Primary Care Dental Workforce Review. This report identified a shortfall of 1850 dentists (10% over a baseline of 18,000 dentists) and stated that (if no remedial action were taken) this figure would rise by a further 16-25% (3,600-5,050) by 2011 and would remain at that level until 2021.
In response to this the government undertook to recruit the equivalent of 1,000 additional dentist by October 2005 and for the longer term fund 170 extra undergraduate dental training places in England from October 2005 – a 25% increase. The review will be updated at regular intervals.
In November 2005, the Department announced that both targets had been met (and exceeded). Between April 2004 and September 2005, the Department and NHS recruited the equivalent of over an additional 1,450 whole time dentists. In October 2005, there was an increase of 189 dental training places.
An expansion in training for dental therapists is alo underway. In 2006/7, 200 dental therapists will be trained in England - a fourfold increase in the 50 training places available in 2003.
The following documents contain information about pay and human resources issues for dentists employed in NHS hospitals and community health services:
- AL DOS 3/2007: Pay and allowances for dental public health staff
- AL(DOS) 2/2007: Pay scales and allowances for dentists working in the salaried primary dental care services
- AL DOS 1 2007 Pay and allowances for dental public health staff
- 19 January 2006: Appointments to dental senior house officer (SHO) posts -
- 17 February 2005: Maintaining high professional standards in the modern NHS: Doctors' and dentists' disciplinary framework
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NHS dental services
Reforms introduced in April 2006 are designed to help provide better access to dental services and simplify the system of patient charges.
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