BDA: New dental contract piloting requires persistence

The British Dental Association (BDA) has called for those involved in pilots for a new dental contract in England to ensure they are prepared to cope with challenges.

Dr John Milne, the organisation's general dental practice committee chair, stated that it is inevitable that certain problems will arise during the process, calling for a willingness to persist with the scheme even when difficulties are encountered.

He stated that this is necessary to give a full picture of what does and does not work about the new contract scheme.

Other key issues relating to the pilots highlighted by Dr Milne include the need for the NHS to provide adequate funding and to acknowledge that certain patients require the dedication of greater resources.

He added that a successful pilot would result in a "win/win/win" situation for patients, dental practitioners and the NHS alike.

Last month, the BDA called on authorities in Northern Ireland to relieve the burden of bureaucracy on dental professionals, as it believes this issue may be impacting on care quality.