Dental leaders call for expenses increase

Dental leaders have warned the Health and Social Care Board that the soaring costs of providing high street dental services in Northern Ireland mean dentists need a minimum uplift of 7% to cover the expenses element of their fees for the latest pay round.

Peter Crooks, chair of BDA’s Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee, said: ‘There are many demands on our dental services, including the fact that more people are retaining their teeth for longer, and there is a whole array of expenses associated with ensuring that premises, equipment, staff and the service itself are appropriate to meet these challenges. 


‘On top of these costs, dentists are stretched to the limit to find the funds to comply with the requirements on decontamination practice by the end of 2012.

‘In submitting our evidence, the Health and Social Care Board cannot be in any doubt as to the true costs of providing patients with dentistry via the health service.’