Dentists react as government gives green light for routine care in England

The British Dental Association (BDA) welcomed the news the government has given the green light but cautioned that practices will need to move at different rates depending on availability and fitting of PPE, their ability to enact ongoing social distancing measures and time to implement appropriate cross-infection control.  

NHS England and the Chief Dental Officer, Sara Hurley, confirmed last week that any practice that is ‘appropriately prepared’ can provide patient care from 8 June.

The BDA suggests this could see varying levels of treatments made available with immediate effect, with individual practitioners exercising their professional judgement on the pace of change.

The pace at which patient care can begin will be determined by a number of issues, such as stock levels of PPE. The availability of and ability to fit test ‘higher end’ PPE in particular may limit the universal restoration of a full range of dental care.

The BDA has expressed the view that steps should be taken to integrate dentistry into the wider government strategy on PPE supply led by Lord Deighton.