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62 practices to trial new dental contract

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Professor Jimmy Steele, a member of the National Steering Group that developed the proposals

For the first time, from this summer, dentists will be paid for the quality of the treatment they give rather than the number of treatments provided, health minister Lord Howe announced today.

Sixty two dental practices have been selected to trial a new dental contract that will help improve outcomes for patients.

The trials are being carefully designed to improve the quality of patient care and increase access to NHS dental services with the added objective of improving the oral health of children.

This is part of the coalition government's wider plans to modernise the NHS with a relentless focus on improving quality of care and patient outcomes.

The new contract will be based around capitation, registration and quality. This means that, for the first time, dentists will be rewarded for the quality of care they deliver for patients rather than the number of treatments carried out.

A new emphasis on quality – and guidelines on how to deliver it – will support dentists to improve the oral health of their patients, while the focus on registration will give patients the security of continuing care.

Three different models will be piloted across England starting in the summer.

Each model will be slightly different in order to provide information and evidence on various aspects of the proposals; this will help better inform the development of the new national contract.

Health Minister Lord Howe said: 'We all want good teeth and good oral hygiene. That's why we want our dentists to get paid for the quality of treatment they provide rather than for the number of treatments, as is the case now.

'This approach is not only better for patients, but also a better use of NHS resources.

'It is important that we take our time to get this absolutely right. We want our reforms to give dentists the encouragement they are looking for to provide a service that meets the needs of today's population, and which fosters positive habits from an early age.'

Professor Jimmy Steele, who was a member of the National Steering Group which developed the proposals, said: 'The Adult Dental Health Survey, published last month, showed further improvements in oral health in England. We now need an NHS dental service to match; one that maintains good oral health as well as providing appropriate treatment.

'The dental contract pilots will explore how best to make this a reality but it is important to get it right, so time spent setting this up properly is time well spent.'

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Posted by elishahrabani 13/4/11 at 18:34

I'm sure the pilot of the latest, brilliant, shiny new (newer? newest?) contract will be absolutely superb. I fully expect it to overcome the gross underfunding of NHS primary dental care, and lead the entire British populace into a nirvana of dental health..................... :-)).

Posted by docholliday 14/4/11 at 10:14

blah blah drill and fill blah blah treadmill blah quality blah-what utter cobblers-not one single fact-can't wait to see how they're going to judge the quality aspect-another here today gone tomorrow politician trying to leave his (skid) mark-the only way they will encourage dentists back is to operate the same systems other countries use and not necter points ,denplan on the cheap or whatever other pay avoiding tactics they use

Posted by gordie 26/4/11 at 08:10

gordie - cynical? I can't imagine why, after all, all their previous efforts have been so successful, have they not?! The latest lot know fine well platitudes cost nothing, but hard promises cost money - or they don't happen ('everyone will have an NHS dentist' - whatever that is - copyright Mr B. Liar) .... in which case they might cost votes.
As you say, it is obviously all cobblers. As an 'interested observer' it provides entertainment, if nothing else.

--This post was last edited on 26/4/11 at 12:49--

Posted by docholliday 26/4/11 at 12:37

on the money as usual doc-the best thing at present is business is on the up-I'm calling an end to the recession, so won't be bothering with whatever they introduce

Posted by gordie 26/4/11 at 13:06

doch and gordie. Spot on as always. (doch I hope you enjoyed your holiday)
I have received some interesting info. about the pilots (Maybe some of it rumors) but still worth mentioning:
The pilots will start in june /July (Been postponed a few months) as they have no idea how to monitor the quality aspects of it. The surgeries that are participating are supposed to use the so called "traffic light system" i.e Red , Amber , Green in evaluating their patients OH , and based on that , come up with a treatment plan.
As long as the patient/s is in the red or amber category the Dentist is not "allowed" to carry out any "complex" treatment/s. OHI and monitoring of the OH (Bringing back the patient) for more S+P and OHI appointments is what they will expect the Dentist to do. Pain relief (Pulpotomy/ Pulpectomy) and excavation of active carious lesions and GIC fillings is the name of the game. Only and when only the OH has improved can the patients expect to have more complex treatment/s (band 3 ) be done. The funny thing is (maybe a rumor), but that is what the PCT person has told my colleague (his pricipal and his surgery has been chosen for the pilot) is that the complex treatments can still be "offered" to the patients on a "private" basis !!! Also they (PCT) have no idea how to monitor the quality aspects of the pilots.
Now if that is true, then it is hilarious. I wonder what the GDC have to say about a patient with poor OH that does not qualify for NHS treatment, but can have "everything" done privately! What will the Dentist/s deffence be when the restoration/s fail because of "poor OH" and they decide to complain to the GDC?
The NHS is becoming a "core service" Inevitably (not a bad thing in my opinion) but only if the spineless politicians had the guts to tell the truth. It seems they will be trying to blame it on the "greedy" Dentist who will tell the patients they have "really poor OH" for NHS treatment but that he / she can "sell" the same treatment to them privately! If this is really true (and as I said I can not yet confirm everything but the traffic light system) then it will indeed be very interseting to see what ("major") implications it will have on Dentistry in the UK and the overall Oral health of its population.

Posted by Expat 26/4/11 at 22:12

By the way forgot to mention that they consider permanent fillings as "complex" treatment as well.
That is only "GIC" filling should be done!

Posted by Expat 26/4/11 at 23:31

if this is true the solicitors will have a field day-how do you get written consent?Can you imagine the confusion.The answer has always been there-a core service-simple fillings/extns/dentures -everything else private.You are correct that gutless politicians will never grasp the nettle but then they never do.

Posted by gordie 27/4/11 at 07:35

gordie - spot on. For years, it has been clear that's really what the NHS is anyway. The politicians will never, ever say so. Gutless is dead right. But some of it is the profession's fault. Look (eg) at those pontificating from behind their salaries at the GDC. None of them has ever got on their hind legs and said: ' We will not proceed with this disciplinary case as it involves NHS treatment, and as Dr X is by statute only paid peanuts for it, it is ludicrous to expect anything other than 'monkey' treatment'. Also gutless, IMHO.

Posted by docholliday 27/4/11 at 14:56