I was recently selected as one of the vice chairs for the young dentists committee of the BDA. The purpose of the committee is to highlight the issues young dentists face today and find solutions for them. At the recent BDA Conference in Manchester we held a panel session to discuss the future of young dentists, their challenges and what their trade union can do for them.
The session was in a question and answer format, and delegates, most of them foundation dentists one or two year post-graduation, were asked to voice openly and freely what their concerns were. Initially there was some hesitation with no one quite sure where to begin, but once the ball started rolling there was no stopping it.
The topics discussed ranged from the increasing regulation our profession faces to the ever present threat of litigation, from the lack of skills young dentists seem to be emerging from the dental schools with to the recent attempt to cut DFT pay; there was certainly no lack of topics to debate.
Fear
There seemed to be a consensus amongst all the delegates that throughout their training they are systematically being programmed into fearing their regulator.
No one would argue against practising dentistry ethically. Patient safety should always be our first priority; we should gain the required skills and seek mentorship to advance ourselves. However, if an entire generation of dentists feels paralysed in the way it practises then it is truly a sad time for the profession. A culture of fear can never aid the development of an individual, but the possibility of failure or an investigation from the GDC should not stop us from learning. As young dentists we must grow throughout our careers, perhaps more so than ever before because we live in times that are fast changing and so require us to be adaptable to the needs of the moment.
Litigation
Litigation is an ever present threat for young dentists and the fact that many are coming out of dental schools feeling ill prepared to take on the practical challenges of dentistry not only puts the patients safety at risk but also exposes them to an increased risk of litigation. This issue needs to be addressed at grass roots level, perhaps with an overhaul of the curriculum - but then the curriculum is already set by our regulator.
Employment
All of this is compounded by the fact that young dentists are finding it harder each day to find employment. I realise that this is, in part, due to an influx of dentists from outside the UK; and although I am myself an ‘overseas
dentist’, I truly feel the unfairness of it all.
During the panel session, one young foundation dentist broke down in tears as she said a big thank you to the BDA
for bringing together a forum where these challenges were being discussed. She explained how she was feeling
overwhelmed by the pressures she was facing post-graduation. Those few tears really hit home; for a moment we all felt truly united and that togetherness is essential when moving forward. As a united force we stand a better chance of getting those in authority to wake up to the reality of the difficulties present in our profession, once they do we can all work together to find viable and long term solutions that benefit patients and professionals alike.