Barry CockcroftChief Dental Officer - England

BSDHT Annual Conference9 November 2012

The Potential for a Greater Role in Service

Delivery for Dental Care Professionals

What is a Workforce For?

• To meet the needs of the service

- and hence the population

- and these have changed

- and are continuing to change

Average D(d)mft per child in England

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1973 1983 1993 2003

D(d

)mft

5 Years 12 Years 15 Years

UK Figure

2003 15 year olds

Oral Health

Epidemiology

• 70% 5 year olds now caries free

• 70% 12 year olds now caries free

• 71% adults no active caries

(ADHS 2009)

The Population

• People are- living longer- with more teeth- with drier mouth- this points to a greater focus on older people in the future.

• A greater focus on prevention for older people and a greater focus on the maintenance of periodontal health

The Future

ALL THIS POINTS TO GREATER POTENTIAL FOR WIDER USE OF DCPs

New Contract for NHS

• Focused on outcomes

• Prevention key to outcomes

• 63% increase in fluoride varnish in children, all practices, not just pilots

• Pilots themselves want to change their skill mix

Remuneration

• “There is no good way of paying a dentist but the three worst are item of service, capitation and salary.” • Current pilots – combination of capitation and quality

• But good dentists will always do the right thing irrespective of the payment mechanism and the contractual framework should support this.

Dentists will be more leaders ofteams in the long term! Probablyfewer dentists and more DCPs

Scope of Practice

• GDC issue- current consultation

• Direct access

• Education

- to support new roles

- define - business- team working

Workforce

• Don’t tackle todays problems with yesterday’s workforce

• HENSE review of undergraduate numbers

• DPB report on skill mix- Published 17 May 2011

Questions