Wesleyan data reveals a fifth of dentists plan on increasing or converting to private work
NewsPosted by: Dental Design 25th May 2022
Wesleyan data reveals a fifth of dentists plan on increasing or converting to private work, as sector grapples with stress, burnout and contractual pressures.
A fifth (21%) of dentists plan on increasing the amount of private work they do, or converting work they do from NHS to private, in the next two years – with the youngest professionals most likely to be increasing or pivoting their practice.
Iain Stevenson, head of dental at Wesleyan, the financial services mutual for dentists, said: “Data suggests that on top of the resignations we’ve already seen, even more dentists will be leaving the profession, or opting to do more private work, in the coming years.
“This will impact further on those seeking treatment. But this isn’t a black and white issue. Many dentists are being driven to change their work by what has been a challenging two years for the profession. The pandemic has exacerbated issues including stress and burnout, while dentists in England have had to grapple with what many have seen as unachievable NHS activity targets and a dental contract that’s no longer fit for purpose.
“Put simply, what we need now is reform and further help from Government to make the NHS model more effective. This will make NHS dentistry a more viable option for professionals and ensure that patients can access the affordable and critical care that they need.”
