Covid-19: Dental Services

Lord Flight Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bethell (Con)]

The noble Lord asked for a general commitment on dentists and their staff. I reassure him that we value the dentist profession and their staff, and the Covid pandemic has only emphasised the importance of dentists in the community and to the nation’s health. He asked me a specific question about where they stand in the vaccine prioritisation list and whether they are on the healthcare list. I will write to him with a precise answer to that question.

[Lord Flight (Con) [V]]

My Lords, there are three big factors that are causing these problems. First, there is the potential patient’s caution and the worry of contracting Covid-19, which leads them to put off treatment and save the money until normal times return. Secondly, dental sessions are taking much longer, partly because of the fall in the number of patients per session and lower throughput. The principal barrier to resuming services is the issue of the fallow time required following aerosol-generating procedures. The solution is greater ventilation. The key need is to increase the patient throughput and to reduce—

[Lord Ashton of Hyde (Con)]

Could the noble Lord put the question please?

[Lord Flight (Con) [V]]

Will the Government be willing to put up any funding to deal with the issue of fallow time between treatments?

[Lord Bethell (Con)]

My Lords, I agree with the noble Lord’s analysis, but it is too early to make commitments on funding.