My Solution for NHS Dentistry

[Kendodd]

As I understand it dentists are all private businesses that do some or all NHS work. I think the NHS should set up its own dental practices employing dentists directly on a salary. A good salary with promotion opportunities.

They could buy old Debenhams/Woolworths/etc sites that are still sitting empty after many years (so should be cheap). Turn the upper floors into flats for the staff (low rent) and ground floors for treatment space. I know there are difficulties with these conversations but they're not insurmountable.

Parking may be an issue on site but city centres always have car parks nearby and are well served by public transport. This plan would also bring more life back to the high street.

This plan may take years to come to fruition, buying sites, converting them etc. This time could be used to massively expand training new dentists.

The biggest hurdle I could see in this plan is one the screams of 'no money' (so shortsighted) and dentists unions might block it.

The average British child eats 7 times a day and over twice the recommended daily amount of sugar.

Each time you eat or drink anything sugary ,even a sip or a nibble, it takes an hour for the acid to be neutralised .

If that thing you eat or drink is just before bed, even if you brush your teeth afterwards , then because the saliva flow is decreased the acid stays on your teeth much longer .

It doesn't matter if you eat or drink sugary stuff with your three main meals a day , it's the snacking that's a problem. Even worse if you graze ie little and often sweet stuff.

No wonder almost 50% of five year olds have decay in the U.K.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m001xkv6/select-committees-health-and-social-care-committee

If dentists don't want to work for the NHS because they don't pay enough this would only work if they paid more but they could do that anyway!

Private practices already have an insurance model.