‘THE NHS dental contract is not fit for purpose’, according to the latest Teignbridge dental practice that has stopped providing treatment under the NHS.

As reported in last week’s Teignmouth Post, the Salisbury Villa Dental Surgery said it would have to give up treating NHS patients from November because they can no longer provide the services people need under the NHS.

This follows a trend with dentists in Chudleigh and Moretonhampstead ending treatment under the NHS.

Laura Akast, business owner and principal dentist, said: ‘The NHS dental contract is not fit for purpose.

‘It does not encourage a prevention approach or allow for the correct use of our skills which we as dentists invest in over the years.

‘This is of course only my opinion and a very simplified statement as I do not profess to have the answers to know how to change the system but fundamentally dentists themselves have not been consulted about what would work it has been led by NHS commissioners who have not actually work as a general dentist in an NHS practice seeing the issues.

‘The current banding systems of payments for dentists has never been the correct model as in very basic terms if the patient needs one filling the practice gets paid the same as if the patient attends for multiple fillings at multiple appointments.

‘If the patient needs one or more crowns the practice gets paid the same fee for one crown regardless of number of appointments and associated laboratory costs.

‘This is incredibly simplified but might help to understand why NHS dentistry is not sustainable.

‘The contract needs to be reformed to allow more time for prevention such as oral hygiene, diet advice and access to hygiene services along with increased financial support to allow the dentists to use the skills they are taught at dental school and keen to develop.

‘New graduates are disillusioned with the NHS and it greatly saddens me to see this as someone who has invested so much time and dedication to my profession with the sole hope of helping my patients who are in need and trying to reassure the fears of those who are afraid of dentists and worry about pain/anxiety having had bad dental experiences.’

On the Salisbury Villa website the practice says: ‘Leaving the NHS was not an easy decision but we have come to a point whereby working under the constraints of the NHS we can no longer provide the high quality care you deserve and we would like to offer.

‘Our patient membership plan helps you keep your teeth and gums healthy by allowing you to budget monthly for your dental care so that you can attend on a basis that’s right for you.

‘Through regular examinations and professional cleaning appointments we can spot issues early, potentially saving you from more invasive treatment in the future.’

Disappointed patients contacted the paper , with one saying: ‘I have had over a decade of extremely good care from my NHS dentist at Salisbury Terrace, and I am very disappointed that they are being forced to give up NHS work.

‘This has happened at a very bad time for some patients who are having trouble already making ends meet.’

‘Utter dismay’ at the decision was expressed by vice chair of the Newton Abbot Constituency Labour Party, Dr Jeffrey Pocock, who is also a resident of Teignmouth.

He was ‘dismayed by the death of NHS dentistry’.

‘The news that from November 2022 another local dentist, the Salisbury Villa Dental Surgery in Teignmouth, will not be providing NHS dental services will be met with utter dismay by local people,’ he added.