Dental Services

(asked on 9th March 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, against what criteria the evidence and learning group will assess the success of the dental contract reform prototype scheme.


Answered by
 Portrait
David Mowat
This question was answered on 16th March 2017

There are currently 79 high street dental practices in the prototype scheme testing a clinical pathway approach focussed on prevention as part of a possible new model of primary dental care. The scheme launched in 2016 and a list of the current dental prototypes can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/543919/Live_Prototype_List.pdf

The scheme is being evaluated under the oversight of an evidence and learning group, including external members and led by Professor Eric Rooney one of the two deputy Chief Dental Officers for England.

The aim of reform is to improve oral health while maintaining access and delivering value for money. The evidence and learning group have identified the following five more detailed criteria against which to assess the success of the dental contract reform prototype scheme: access and accessibility, quality and appropriateness of care, improving oral health, value for money, scalability and potential roll-out. Dentists’ remuneration is a key part of assessing scalability and potential for wider roll out and also has its own programme reference group which includes representatives from the profession.

The main evaluation report is due by the end of this year with an initial report expected to be published later this spring.

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