The heart of the matter

Nat King Cole's recording of The Christmas Song begins with the phrase 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire.' So to celebrate the season this month I bring you an old chestnut in dentistry: the core service.

Dentists have been moaning about National Health Service dentistry for ever it seems. Perhaps there was a 'golden age' of in the 1970s or 1980s, but I doubt it. The dislike of the present contract is profound, but even at times when we were happy, our paymasters, the Government, were not.

When we all gather round and discuss what is wrong over a few pints (in the old days), or in more modern times, alone with our PC, some bright spark always says: 'OK what would you do?' To which the standard answer is, and seemingly has always been: a core service.

It is the philosopher's stone that will turn the base metal of UDAs into the gold of a proper way of paying dentists. So what is meant by the phrase and would it work? There are, however, not one, but two ways of looking at this concept.