Thursday 22 December 2022
17:49
Opening hours during Christmas and the new year
Our offices are now closed until 08:30 on Tuesday 3 January 2023 (Wednesday 4 January in Scotland).
If you need to contact us during the holidays for:
Indemnity support
Policyholders should email
cases@bda.org or call 020 7535 5858 for assistance. The phone line is open 24 hours a day except Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
If you would like to switch to BDA Indemnity please
get a quote. If you are applying to formally switch over the Christmas period please continue and we will be in touch to process your application.
Advice
If you require advice, please email
advice.enquiries@bda.org and an advisor will get back to you when the office reopens.
In the case of an emergency during the Christmas closure period, please call 020 7535 5870.
For all other enquiries we will get back to you as soon as possible when we reopen on Tuesday 3 January.
We'd like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
15:53
Holiday wishes from the team at the BDA
On behalf of everyone at the BDA, I'd like to wish you and your family a very merry Christmas and happy new year.
We know 2022 has been another tough year for the profession, but we continue to be there to support you, your teams, and patients across the UK.
Our maxim, "Together, we are stronger" continues to hold true and I would like to thank all our members for their important contributions to our efforts. It is only by working together that we can be the powerful voice that dentists need. It is only with your help that we are able to maintain the media and parliamentary profile that dentistry and oral health has had during 2022.
Next year will undoubtedly bring fresh challenges but I am confident that we can build on this year to achieve more on your behalf.
15:14
Understanding the CPD hours cycle
As the year comes to an end, the General Dental Council is not only looking
to collect your Annual Retention Fee; it will also expect you to make your CPD declaration in the next few weeks. It's important to understand which hours you need to declare.
Dentists are required to undertake 100 verifiable hours of CPD over the course of their cycle. However, you must also ensure to declare a minimum of 10 hours over the span of two years to comply. While the full number of required hours at the end of the cycle is important, it's also vital to remember the two-year requirement. This is because during any year in your cycle where you don't comply with the 10-hour requirement, you will be non-compliant with the formal CPD requirements and will receive a breach notice which is likely to lead to being taken off the register.
If you do not make your declaration in time or do not comply with the requirements, the
restoration process after being taken off the register for non-compliance with CPD requirements is lengthy, with serious consequences. We advise all dentists to check before the end of December whether you have enough hours to comply with the 10-hour requirement; and if approaching the end of a cycle whether you have at least 100 hours.
13:58
Northern Ireland: 4.5% pay uplift circular issued for salaried dentists
The Department of Health
has issued a pay circular informing employers to apply a 4.5% pay uplift.
The uplift applies from 1 April 2022 and will uplift pay rates of salaried dentists working in Community Dental Services, and in Hospital Dental Services.
12:02
England: Doctors and Dentist Review Body contract uplifts
It is hugely frustrating that, despite a pay uplift announcement in July for general dental practice, at the turn of the year we are still yet to see that translated into an increase in NHS contract values in England.
As a reminder, the DDRB recommended an uplift in pay of 4.5%, which was accepted in full by the Westminster government. However, an element for costs has to be determined to give an overall increase in contract values. That is the bit that has taken the government far too long to conclude. We have been repeatedly urging the implementation of the uplift.
We now believe that the uplift will be scheduled by the Business Services Authority in January and paid in February, backdated 10 months to April 2022. We will confirm that, and the final uplift figure, in the new year.
11:29
GDC registration delays
We have written this week to the General Dental Council (GDC) to raise concerns about delays in registration processes, both in respect of getting onto the register itself, and also onto specialist lists. We have received a number of reports from members about significant delays, have signalled to the GDC that these are unacceptable and could potentially give cause for legal action where they are excessive, leading to an impact on ability to make a living. We have also urged the GDC to use flexibilities in their approach to restorations for non-payment delays.
Members are reminded that the GDC is
currently collecting dentists' Annual Retention Fees for 2023. Payments must be made by the end of the day on 31 December 2022. If the GDC has not received the payment by that time, dentists will be taken off the register and will have to go through a process of restoration. The GDC has assured us they have recruited staff. However, given the delays reported to us and noted by the Professional Standards Authority, members should be prepared that the restoration process could take some time.
We will be monitoring timescales for any restorations with a view to potentially supporting members where they are adversely impacted.
09:51
England: Access issues threaten decades of progress on oral health
The
latest official research on the impact of the pandemic on access to dental care in England underlines the need for urgent and fundamental reform, with decades of improvements to the nation's oral health now at risk.
The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) found that during the first year of the pandemic only 43% of patients reporting toothache or other pain reported receiving complete professional treatment. 19% received temporary treatment, 23% were given advice on how to manage the problem at home, 25% received a prescription for antibiotics and 11% received no professional treatment or advice.
Patients living in the poorest communities suffered the most, with 24% of patients in the most affluent communities reporting toothache or other oral pain, compared to 41% in the most deprived areas.
But these problems are still with us – and the recent tweaks to the failed NHS contract are unlikely to make a difference.
We need your feedback to bring to the new inquiry into the access crisis in NHS dentistry, please complete our 5-minute survey.
08:47
England: Industrial action ballot for hospital trainees
We are
planning to ballot our hospital dental trainee (Dental Core Trainee and Speciality Registrar) members who are on the same contract as junior doctors about taking industrial action.
We are proceeding cautiously as the balloting process is complex and the fines for breaches in legislation are high. To respond, you must be a BDA member that is employed as a trainee (core or speciality) by a hospital in England. The Trust must be named on your contract of employment, and we must be aware of the location in which you provide most of your clinical sessions.
We will begin to ballot members via post in the week commencing 30 January, with voting closing on 20 February.
Wednesday 21 December 2022
17:02
Growing back gums webinar
Amit Patel, Associate Specialist and Honorary Clinical Lecturer, is delivering a webinar on how to help improve soft tissue outcomes through connective tissue grafts.
This webinar's aim is to explore how soft tissue assessment and management is essential to the long-term success of dental implants.
The webinar is kindly sponsored by Oral-B and will take place on Thursday 19 January 19:30 – 20:30,
register to attend today and share this sign-up link with your colleagues.
14:11
England: Mid-year action plans response
NHS England has replied to our
letter dated 15 December 2022 expressing our concerns about the mid-year review action plans. We still believe this form is a poor attempt to understand the issues facing NHS dentists in England and that much of the information in the form is not information NHS England require.
The reply suggests that failure to complete the form is likely to lead to a formal mid-year review meeting rather than a more serious sanction. Nevertheless, we advise affected members to complete the form as much as you feel is reasonable and engage with local area teams constructively to explain the reasons for underperformance. If members face sanction for not completing the form in full,
we would like to hear from you and will offer further support and advice.
The BDA's officers and policy teams will continue to engage with NHS England and ministers to highlight our concerns with the current NHS dental system, the finances available and the reasons why so many practices are struggling to meet targets. We will continue to work for a system that will allow members to be fairly remunerated for a sustainable and appropriately resourced NHS dental service.
10:22
Mandatory training on learning disabilities and autism
As of July 2022, all health and social care providers registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) must ensure staff receive training on learning disabilities and autism. This legal requirement was introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022.
Following the introduction of this requirement, the CQC has been looking to guarantee that providers have administered learning disability and autism training and assess the competencies of staff following the training.
This
short course provides one-hour of verifiable CPD about the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, while also suggesting ways your team can make your practice more welcoming and reassuring. This interactive e-learning course, with quizzes and downloadable content, has had exceedingly positive feedback from the 1,040 participants: "I would like to congratulate and thank the BDA for taking a lead in producing this course."
Tuesday 20 December 2022
15:54
Understanding the CPD hours cycle
As the year comes to an end, the General Dental Council is not only looking
to collect your Annual Retention Fee; it will also expect you to make your CPD declaration in the next few weeks. It's important to understand which hours you need to declare.
Dentists are required to undertake 100 verifiable hours of CPD over the course of their cycle. However, you must also ensure to declare a minimum of 10 hours over the span of two years to comply. While the full number of required hours at the end of the cycle is important, it's also vital to remember the two-year requirement. This is because during any year in your cycle where you don't comply with the 10-hour requirement, you will be non-compliant with the formal CPD requirements and will receive a breach notice which is likely to lead to being taken off the register.
If you do not make your declaration in time or do not comply with the requirements, the
restoration process after being taken off the register for non-compliance with CPD requirements is lengthy, with serious consequences. We advise all dentists to check before the end of December whether you have enough hours to comply with the 10-hour requirement; and if approaching the end of a cycle whether you have at least 100 hours.
10:46
Erosive tooth wear webinar
Nicola West, Professor and Honorary Consultant in Restorative Dentistry at Bristol Dental School, is presenting a webinar for all dental care professionals on tooth wear and how to manage it.
The aim of the webinar is to give members of the dental team a greater understanding of dental erosion and dentine hypersensitivity.
The webinar is kindly sponsored by Oral-B and will take place on Thursday 12 January 19:30 - 20:30,
register today to attend and share this sign-up link with any dental practitioners you know.
Monday 19 December 2022
12:21
Share your views on BDJ Jobs
As 2022 comes to an end, we recognise that one of the biggest difficulties facing the dental industry is the recruitment market crisis.
The shortage of dentists in the UK leaves practices, especially those providing NHS General Dental Services (GDS) and Personal Dental Services (PDS), feeling overworked.
We want to support you, whether you are looking for recruitment or employment, our
BDJ Jobs survey is open for you to share your views and experiences. Please share the link with any colleagues who can also provide feedback.
