The British government is struggling to fill so-called “dentistry deserts” covering parts of the United Kingdom, with millions of people unable to find an National Health Service (NHS) dentist, according to a Citizens Advice report.
According to the study:
The problem has been limited to the state-subsidised NHS dentists, say the authors of the report, meaning some areas enjoy a wealth of trained professionals, while others are effectively “deserts” when it comes to service.
In response, the government has attempted to overhaul the system, offering primary care trusts a budget of £ 2.3 billion (around U.S. $4.5 billion) in additional funding. But the British Dental Association (BDA) says the increase has done little to change the current structure, which continues failing both patients and dentists.
Source: Editorial, Britons struggle to fill the gap in ‘dentistry deserts,’ inthenews.co.uk, March 28, 2007.
For report: http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/pdf_gaps_to_fill.pdf
For more on Health Issues: http://www.ncpa.org/sub/dpd/index.php?Article_Category=16
FMF Policy Bulletin/ 03 April 2007
