‘Blindsided’ dentists fear a wave of toothache tourists
Gordon Rayner
DENTISTS have warned of toothache tourism because of a “chaotic” decision to reopen surgeries in England but not in Scotland and Wales.
Practitioners have written to Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, to express fears that dentists in England will be “overwhelmed” by an influx of patients travelling across the borders to demand treatment.
They have also complained that they only found out about Government plans to reopen surgeries on June 8 when they saw it announced on television, leaving them swamped with calls from patients without being able to answer their questions.
The British Association of Private Dentistry (BAPD) told Mr Hancock there had been “continued mismanagement” of dentistry throughout the coronavirus pandemic and they had been given “no time to prepare” for reopening on Monday.
In particular, the BAPD said that because Wales and Scotland would not be reopening surgeries on the same day as England “we have significant concerns that this will result in cross-border dental tourism and consequent damage to their economies and the reputations of dentists … there is a risk of further overwhelming dental services in England due to the potential influx of patients from these regions”.
The BAPD also complained that dentists had not been consulted about the return date, leaving them blindsided when it was announced last week.
The letter says: “Many in the profession first heard of June 8 as the return date during the Prime Minister’s Covid-19 briefing … this created a chaotic situation with patients calling their
‘There is a risk of further overwhelming dental services due to influx of patients from other regions’
practices before dentists themselves were aware of the announcement.”
Other concerns raised in the letter include “logistical challenges” with getting furloughed staff back to work with just six working days’ notice and sourcing of adequate personal protective equipment.
The professional body − which was set up earlier this year − recently expressed a vote of no confidence in the Office of the Chief Dental Officer after polling its members, sparking calls for “urgent changes” in dentistry.