Dentists

Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about support for dental practices and dental laboratories during the coronavirus emergency.

I appreciate the concerns you raise about the impact of coronavirus on dentistry. The British Dental Association (BDA) said that many practices felt left behind by a lack of financial assistance from the Government. Similarly, the Dental Laboratories Association (DLA) has been calling for additional
financial support for dental labs as demand for custom made dental appliances has fallen.

The Government said NHS England and NHS Improvement took steps to maintain cashflow to provide stability for practices providing NHS services. It said dentists holding contracts with NHS England and NHS Improvement have continued to receive their full contract value, paid as usual in monthly equal instalments, throughout the pandemic period.

On 5 August, the Public Health Minister said that, while the NHS has no standing contractual relationship with dental laboratories or other dental suppliers, support for the industry has been made available through a range of financial schemes, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Nevertheless, I recognise your concerns that dental practice requirements to meet 20% of their contract target to receive 100% contract value means there is a reduced incentive for them to provide complex dental surgery, with demand for dental laboratory services falling as a result. I am concerned that these measures risk making the situation worse for the dental laboratory sector, which is already struggling.

From 8 June, dental practices have been able to reopen. However, the impact of the pandemic on dental practices and labs will be felt for some time to come. I will press the Government to adopt a more tailored approach in its support by targeting those sectors that are most in need. Ministers should ensure that British manufacturers can continue to provide the dental profession with the custom made dental appliances needed to keep patients well.

Thank you once again for contacting me about this important issue.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP