Dentistry-focused NHS IT improvements officially detailed

The Department of Health has detailed specific elements of the planned reform of NHS IT services that will directly affect and benefit UK dental practices.

Under the new plans, the use of IT within the dental sector will increase in order to safely store patient data and assist with treatment planning, with chairside computer systems helping dentists enter clinical information directly on to the practice system.

Moreover, commissioning body NHS England will be utilising new technology to ensure dentists are paid correctly and efficiently, reports Dentistry.

Many of these new IT systems will be introduced as part of the planned move to a new dental contract, of which the second wave of pilot schemes commenced in April 2013.

An official informed the publication: "More than 90 percent of dental activity returns in the NHS are now transmitted electronically. IT will become increasingly important as we move to a new dental contract based on capitation, registration and quality."

This comes in the same week that the government announced the addition of 20 practices to the latest dental contract pilot scheme, meaning 90 practices across the country are now involved in the initiative.