Covid-19: Dental Protection announces two months free membership
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 30th March 2020
A package of support – the equivalent of offering the next two months of membership for free – has been set out by Dental Protection for members who have experienced a significant drop in their workload and a dramatic fall in income due to Covid-19.
Members of Dental Protection are being offered subscription relief. A payment into members’ bank account would be made that is equivalent to two months’ subscription.
As it is unclear when normal patient activity will resume, the organisation has confirmed that it will keep the support provided by subscription relief under review in the months ahead.
Dental Protection says it is finalising the process for issuing these subscription refunds to members and that they expect to start issuing these payments within the next few weeks.
Alternatively, members who choose to stop practising completely – even for a short period during this crisis – can instead opt to become a deferred member of Dental Protection. They will not pay a subscription during this time and they may return as an active member on the same terms when they resume practice at a later date. It is important to note that while membership is deferred members will not be entitled to the benefits of membership if they carry out any clinical activity including providing telephone triage for patients with urgent needs.
Dental Protection has been speaking to members around the world – from the UK and Ireland to South Africa and Hong Kong – with many reporting a sharp decline in their private practice. Dentists in the UK have also had to wait for confirmation about how NHS payments will be calculated during this time. Dental Protection has welcomed the assurance that NHS England will continue to make payments during the 2020/21 contracting year and await details on the calculus applied to support practices financially, particularly those that provide a mixture of NHS and private care.
In a letter sent to members today, Dental Protection has also confirmed it is extending its counselling service for those experiencing work-related stress. The counselling service is provided through a third-party partner and is completely confidential.
Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection said:
“As colleagues and as a fellow health professional, we want to support members during these unprecedented times.
“Above all else we want to reassure members that Dental Protection is here for them through good times and bad. As a mutual organisation we know there has never been a more important time for us to use our discretionary powers to step in and offer the assistance members need.
“This is not going to be an easy time for any of us, but we are going to get through it.
“We hope that the subscription relief being offered will make a difference to members during this time. Further information will be shared as soon as possible. We will also continue to monitor the situation closely and we will keep the support provided by subscription relief under review in the months ahead.
“Members do not need to contact us at this stage. We are sharing our intent to help in this way now, prior to finalising the process, so that the cost of subscriptions is one less thing for them to worry about.”
