BDA response to The Times

Mick Armstrong, chair of the BDA, said: "Some out there would like to say this profession puts 'profit before patients'. We know the reality – that we have a failed NHS contract system that puts government targets above all else.

"The facts are the overwhelming majority of dentists want change. We know that over 90 per cent of dentists believe that chasing government targets is limiting their ability to care for patients who require complex treatment, that 83 per cent say the system is holding them back from preventive work and that for seven in 10 dentists, it's standing in the way of taking on new NHS patients.

"Dentists have had to contend with a fair share of hysterical headlines. We don’t have time for name calling. Our focus is firmly on securing what's best for our patients – a contract that really delivers on prevention, which makes a decisive break from tick boxes and targets. 

"The real risk is that government remains unwilling to turn the page on the UDA, and despite the need for change, will deliver another watered down version of this failed contract. We’ve already made sure our new minister knows what dentists think, and we won’t be letting up anytime soon.”