BDA engagement ‘will be improved by new reforms’

The British Dental Association (BDA) will be able to engage more closely with government dental care sector activities as a result of forthcoming reforms.

Dr Barry Cockcroft, chief dental officer for England, told Dentistry.co.uk that the government is committed to piloting amendments to the current system in line with recommendations in the Steele Review.

These include linking dental practitioners’ income to the number of NHS patients on their books, as well as changes to patient assessment practices and improved use of information technology.

Dr Cockcroft said these changes will be aided by an improvement in clinical engagement with the BDA, as well as allowing for better access and outcomes for patients.

He added: “We want to reassure people we are committed to doing this and we want to get on with it.”

This comes after Dr John Milne, chair of the BDA’s General Dental Practice Committee, stated that the key to making the Steele recommendations work was engagement with professionals, as well as ensuring that pilot schemes are given time to show their effectiveness.