Remuneration packages for dental professionals drive increasing proportion of private dentistry
High demand from the general public for cosmetic dentistry makes it a highly profitable and lucrative area of work. As the NHS cuts back on spending, and remuneration is held back, private dentistry continues to be a booming market. This drives down the cost of private dentistry, drawing more of the population away from NHS services and towards private dentistry.
The NHS is currently operating within significant financial constraints and is required to make £20billion efficiency savings by 2015. As part of this, professionals are not receiving, or are receiving very small, increases in their pay packages. Other areas of spend within services are also being reduced.
At the same time, there is strong demand for private dentistry which can be a very profitable area. As the financial position within the NHS remains constrained, more dental graduates and professionals may be drawn away from the NHS into private dentistry.
This would have significant impact on supply of the NHS dental workforce, increasing attrition as current professionals move into private dentistry, as well as reducing the number of graduates choosing the join the NHS.
Sources or references
Some of the information in this section is provided by stakeholders and expert groups, and does not necessarily represent the views of the CfWI.
