An expert on dentistry?

Now I can’t claim to be an expert on dentistry, but I am aware of the importance of good oral health and its impact across residential and nursing home settings as a key element of overall health and well-being. I therefore read with some interest an article from our friends at socialcare.today about the messages coming from the regulator, CQC and the British Dental Association (BDA), and what I see as a worrying trend. 

Whilst the regulator - by way of a follow up from its inaugural oral health review in 2019 - released statistics that painted an improved picture, the BDA saw things through a slightly different lens. 

CQC reported a rise from 61% (2019) to 91% in care home awareness of the NICE related guidance, and that 60% of care homes detailed oral care in individual care plans - up from 27% in 2019. Even staff training in oral health had doubled from 30% to 60% from 2019. However, the BDA has highlighted that since 2019 the proportion of residents never accessing NHS dental care routinely has grown from 6% to 25%. Those stating residents were always or mostly always able to access care fell from 67% to 35%.

Now on the one hand, it is hard to argue with the level of progress made by the care sector and hats off for achieving this. I can’t help thinking, however, how the dentistry profession can meet the increasing needs of our sector, and on looking into this, I start to see a connected challenge. According to the UK Parliament website, the number of dentists has fallen to its lowest level in 8 years, so, just like the care sector, it appears that (a lack of) resource / investment and or long-term thinking is challenging proactive service delivery and if there is one thing we do know, it’s that not focussing on prevention is always more costly for the economy, society, and individuals. Does that sound familiar? It seems like it’s time to think again.