NHS Dentistry Hot Topics 2024
Understanding the hottest topics is not just about gaining knowledge for interviews at UK dental schools; it’s about shaping a perspective of a medical students on the broader implications of dental practices on public health, patient care, and the ethical responsibilities of dental professionals, which may form part of the dentistry interview questions that you get asked. Whether it’s navigating the NHS repayments and UDAs, grasping the significance of mental health in dentistry, or keeping up to the latest technological innovations, these topics are integral to the modern dental landscape.
The Amalgam Debate
England's National Plan to phase down the use of dental amalgam, instigated in response to EU Regulation 2017/852 on Mercury, outlines a comprehensive approach targeting the reduction of amalgam use in dentistry. Thanks to this plan UK dentists must emphasizes preserving tooth structure and utilizing non - amalgam materials like composites and glass ionomers, promoting this both in undergraduate and continuing dental education. The plan introduces a trial in the NHS dental primary care system focusing on preventive care to reduce decay prevalence, targeting a reduction in dental decay, especially among children and vulnerable groups, these initiatives aim to lessen the overall need for fillings. The dental amalgam phase - out is not just changing dental practices but also reshaping dental education in the UK. Dental schools are already emphasizing the use of mercury - free materials, preparing students for modern practices. Secondly, the application of alternatives like composite resins requires different techniques, a change that both challenges and excites future dentists. Finally, there's a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly practices in dental education, reflecting a global shift towards sustainability.
Oral Cancer
Awareness Dental professionals have a responsibility to educate patients about oral cancer prevention and the importance of regular screenings. This includes discussing the significance of maintaining good oral hygiene, avoiding risk factors, and recognising early symptoms. For dental students, gaining knowledge about oral cancer, its risk factors, and early signs is crucial. It prepares future dentists to play an active role in oral cancer prevention and management, reflecting the broader impact of dental health on overall well-being. It is important to know a little bit about oral cancer before your dentistry interviews. As part of preventive care, advising patients on lifestyle changes to reduce their risk of oral cancer is an integral part of a dentist's role, the same important as MD’s.
NHS vs Private Practice
The contrast between NHS and private dental practice in the UK is a topic of significant relevance for dental professionals. One of the biggest disadvantages of NHS treatment is the fact that waiting lists are often very long. This is because the NHS is sadly underfunded and oversubscribed, meaning that patients often have to wait longer for treatment. As a result of the Covid - 19 Pandemic, these waiting lists have got even longer than usual with some procedures now having waiting times of up to two years. NHS dentistry focuses on providing accessible care to the public, often dealing with a high volume of patients and a range of treatments funded by the NHS. Although, 43% of adults in England as of 30 June 2023 had seen an NHS dentist in the past 24 months, the latest figures also show that since 2021 many patients were being forced to wait until 2024 to get a treatment. Even when patients can get access to NHS dental services, 61 per cent say it is too expensive, with fees ranging from £23.80 to £282.80 depending on the treatment. In contrast, private practice offers more flexibility in terms of services offered and appointment lengths but may also come with different financial and business management challenges. But there is a catch; some dental insurance policies only cover for NHS dentists, others cover only some private treatment, not all of them. In many cases patients need to pay for more advanced treatments anyway.
Sugar Tax
Although, we’ve got some promising data showing success of the sugar tax, many patients’ is thinking introduction of the new tax was only an aid band. Former UK PM Truss was preparing to scrap sugar taxes on soft drinks and ditch some anti - obesity measures to ease the cost – of - living crisis in the country, but Rishi Sunak has claimed rival Liz Truss’s plans for vast tax cuts would create a sugar rush boom as he denied his way of tightening fiscal policy leading to a recession. A planned restriction on advertising unhealthy foods before 9pm on TV and online has been repeatedly pushed back. The ban, originally slated for April 2022, will now come into force in October 2025, a delay that has been greeted with dismay by health campaigners. What could be simpler and more effective? Unfortunately, in real life as opposed to economics textbooks, people often respond in very creative ways to changes in incentives. A report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee, today said that with a fifth of UK households struggling to get access to good quality food at reasonable prices, they were increasingly turning to unhealthy high - calorie alternatives. The University of York study, in partnership with N8Agrifood, showed that low – income families tried to eat as much fruit and vegetables as they could within financial constraints, avoiding processed food wherever possible. But there was widespread acknowledgement that processed food was often more accessible than healthy options because of its lower cost. The researchers said that while the diets of low-income households have been subject to much scrutiny and debate, there is currently limited evidence in the UK on the diet quality and food practices of households reporting food insecurity and food bank use. Seeing pros and cons of the sugar tax, many dentists are happy reading about results, forgetting other side of the same coin.
