It should be noted that successive Governments have failed not just the public in this area, but dentists as well. The Government needs to ideally work to a situation where more dentists divulge more time to the NHS Dentistry sector . It is a two way street, when we see better pay and conditions and more resources given to dentists, you will see many more moving back to the NHS, or at least dividing their time between private dentistry and public NHS Dentistry.

Going back to a previous survey, the Ipsos MORI survey found that lack of access is the most common reason cited by people in England and Wales for not seeing an NHS dentist since April 2006, along with not needing treatment. It was mentioned by 31% of respondents in England and Wales who have not been to an NHS dentist since April 2006. This is the equivalent of approximately 7.4 million people who have not been to an NHS dentist since April 2006 because of difficulties in finding one. Of these, the equivalent of approximately 4.7 million have sought private treatment instead and the equivalent of approximately 2.7 million have gone without treatment altogether.

The research also reveals that the problem is more evident in the South West (53%) and the North West (39%).

Citizens Advice Chief Executive David Harker said:

“These figures show the scale of the lack of access to NHS dentistry, reflecting the evidence which bureaux across England and Wales have been reporting ever since the early 90’s.  People on low incomes are particularly affected as private treatment is just not an option.

“We are therefore delighted that the Government has responded to the problem by announcing an 11% increase in funding for NHS dentistry in England from 2008. This has the potential to deliver real improvements in access to dentistry but it needs to be carefully targeted on those areas where patients are experiencing the most acute problems.

“Primary Care Trusts have a duty to ensure that dentistry services meet local requirements and it is vital that they start planning how to allocate their additional funds now. We also hope that the Welsh Assembly Government will follow suit and increase funding for NHS dentistry in Wales.

“Patients who have been trying to find an NHS dentist should contact NHS Direct to find their local dental helpline now in order to benefit from any new services that are set up.”

Case studies

A CAB in Cornwall reported a client who rang the helpline saying he was prepared to travel anywhere in the county to find an NHS dentist.  He was told no dentists in Cornwall were currently taking on NHS patients, and was put on the waiting list with no idea how long he might have to wait.

The same bureau reported a client on a low income who had to travel by both bus and train, stretching his limited finances, to the nearest NHS dentist for an emergency appointment.  Delays in public transport meant he was 15 minutes late and was turned away and told he would have to book another slot at 8.30 am the following day.

A CAB in North Yorkshire reported a pensioner on a low income who needed emergency dental treatment in hospital. They advised her she would need further treatment and would need to find an NHS dentist. There were two available in the area but both have 12 month waiting lists.

A CAB in Hampshire rang the helpline on behalf of a client and her disabled husband who wanted to find a dentist.  They found that the nearest dentist with NHS capacity is now – approximately 17 miles away with no public transport to get there. One year ago the closest NHS dentist was – approximately 10 miles away.

More and more we are needing Foreign Dentists to move to the UK to live and work as dentists. It can be  win, win, for the UK public and for dental professionals from Europe wishing to practice here as dental associates.

Changes to dentists’ contracts will make it easier for patients to find an NHS dental surgery, the UK Health Secretary has promised.

NHS Dentists are no longer to be rewarded primarily for the number of fillings they carry out.

NHS Dental Service

Dental Practitioners will instead have a bigger chunk of their dentist salary decided on the number of patients they have, and serve. “Quality” and “prevention”, rather than quantity of treatments, are the new buzzwords.

The reforms, outlined in an independent review chaired by Professor Jimmy Steele, were immediately accepted “in principle” by the health secretary.

Professor Jimmy Steele

The Professor said that fewer visits are the key aim. Dental Health and prevention rather than cure must be the primary aims.

NHS Dentistry is a hot topic once again with a general election looming. From the public’s perspective they have real difficulty finding an NHS Dentist who will take them on. Once they have found one, many are not entirely happy with the care due to the fact they feel any work they have done may be below the levels of private work.

It’s unfair to heap all the blame on the dental community. Decades of underfunding by successive governments have left NHS Dentistry in trouble. It is also fair comment to say the financial incentives have not been properly structured and have left opportunity for criticism of dental professionals.

The Tories have promised, if elected, to bring another one million UK NHS Dental patients back into the NHS fold, and to have a dedicated NHS Dentist.

Professor Steele’s view is that:

“Over the last 60 years, dental services have been about quantity, about delivering fillings, We need to move away and move on to quality – to accept that less is actually better.”

“Value for money is not about more at a lower price; value for money is not having to do it all. Dentists should take responsibility for some of the things they deliver. We should provide restorative work to last. Patients should not have to pay for substandard treatment.”

Asked how often patients should see a dentist, he said that :

Some , depending on the state of their teeth , need go no more than once every two years.

The idea of six-monthly check-ups was outmoded. Longer recall intervals are a marker of success, not an abdication of duty.

Prof Steele said he hoped more private dentists would be attracted to sign contracts with the NHS under the terms of the newly proposed financial rewards.

The Secretary of State for Health, Andy Burnham,  gave an enthusiastic endorsement to the proposals, declaring: “I recognise that this is an area of unfinished business where we need to ensure that NHS dentistry is on the right path.”

Access to NHS dentists had been improving recently, he maintained. A recent Which? magazine report said that nine out of 10 people searching for NHS dental treatment had been successful in the last two years. The new reforms, he added, “are going to provide NHS dentists for everyone who wants one.”

“From this autumn, selected dental practices will pilot some of the independent review team’s recommendations including linking a significant part of dentists’ income to the number of NHS patients registered with them, not just the number of treatments they provide.” More than one model of financial incentives might be trialed to see which was the most effective.

To make it easier to register with a dentist, patients will in future be able to call NHS Direct or check the NHS Choices website for information on local services, he said. Extending water fluoridation would also be a priority to protect, in particular, children’s teeth.

The review observed that under the current contract “there are limited incentives for dentists to … take on new patients”.

The British Dental Association welcomed the review as a move away from unpopular targets that had distorted health service provision. It stressed that the reforms should, unlike previous changes, be piloted carefully to ensure that they are practicable.

John Milne, chair of the BDA’s general dental practitioners committee, said: “We have an opportunity to learn from the difficulties of 2006. The report’s recommendations appear to be far-reaching. They describe a new approach … I hope it will mean a move away from the targets-driven arrangement that is currently in place.”

Critics have blamed dentists for exploiting the system by breaking down simple treatments into multiple sessions known as “units of dental activity” (UDA), each one of which triggers a separate payment.

“We heard accounts from younger dentists that suggest the single-minded pursuit of UDAs can, and has, become ingrained in young practitioners to a worrying degree,” the review said. “Behaviour may be adopted that maximises the rate at which UDAs are achieved, often referred to as ‘gaming’.”

The company behind it CSL from Australia say they are in advanced stages of development.
The current stage is trials on mice, a few years down the line, human trials will occur if everything runs smoothly.
The company’s chief scientific officer, Dr Andrew Cuthbertson, said:

‘It has taken over 10 years to develop the vaccine to this stage.
The plan is to develop the vaccine, and to have an antibiotic gel that those with existing gum disease can use.’

The research has been continuing in a collaboration between the University of Melbourne and CSL, under the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Oral Health Science.

Professor Eric Reynolds, who is head of the university’s dental school and chief of the CRC, said:

“the development of specific products to kill off the bacteria or prevent the gum infection would be a significant oral health breakthrough.”

This really would be one of the biggest things to happen in dentistry. Watch this space, we’ll be sure to keep you informed, every step of the way. I think dentists’ jobs will be safe forever, no matter what!

Map of Bristol, the Bristol Channel & Surrounding Towns & Cities

Bristol is home to one of the UK’S Dental Schools and is a keen provider or postgraduate education for the profession. Outside of clinical activities, Bristol has become one of the UK’S most vibrant cities given the large amount of recent reinvestment into the city. It also lends itself to high energy as a direct result of having a large student population.

Bristol is split into 35 wards, each with differing subcultures and population groups. One of the more affluent districts is Clifton, located near Bristol City Centre. Clifton boasts some of the city’s more unique and independant venues, including the more traditional cider public houses, such as the Coronation Tap. It is also home to the world famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

The city is also well know in the art community throughout the world and the UK, and is home to the infamous ‘Banksy‘, the graffiti artist.

Bristol is served by both the M4 & M5 motorways, making easy access to the coast, West Midlands, and of course London. Weston-Super-Mare is a well used local coastal resort, which is only 18 miles away. For those interested in one of the most beautiful towns in the country, then Bath, is only 13 miles away.

View from Prior Park, Bath over gardens and the Palladian Bridge towards the City of Bath.

The history of bath, and the unique architecture is breathtaking. Truly inspirational.

Leisure & Activities:

Bristol Botanic Gardens
Cosmopolitan Harborside Developments
Glastonbury Music Festival
Yachting, Watersports

Cost Of Living:

Evening meal per person – £20
Average 3 bed House – £163,800
Fuel per litre – £1.04
Taxi per mile – £2.50
Airport to City Bus Return £9

*2009 Year end prices

Travel:

Bristol Templemeads Railway Station
Bristol
BS1 6QF
(Time to London, Paddington – 1 hour, 39 minutes)

Bristol Airport
Wrington
North Somerset
BS40

Commutable Cities & Towns:

Bath – 13 miles
Weston-Super-Mare – 22 miles
Newport – 30.5 miles
Gloucester – 35 miles
Swindon – 40 miles
Cheltenham – 42 miles
Cardiff – 44 miles

If you are interested in travelling to the UK , Bristol and surrounding areas in particular. To work as a dentist or dental professional, and are fully qualified, and are based outside the UK, in Europe. Then we would recommend looking at our dental jobs section to browse positions available in Bristol & throughout the UK .
Or if you prefer you can contact us via contact form, or check out our ‘about page’ for full contact details including telephone support and advice.

The study was carried out involving 200 men and women over the age of 45. Those who took part in the study did not have any known cardiovascular problems, or at risk of imminent heart attack.
During a standard visit to their dentists in Boras and Gothenburg they were checked out for known risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Mats Jontell is a senior dental officer and professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Sweden.
He had this to say:
“Dentists are really proud of their profession and feel no need to encroach upon doctors’ territory, however, we wanted to find out if we as a profession could identify patients at risk of cardiovascular disease.”

“These risk factors are not normally manifested in the mouth, which is why the dentists went beyond their normal check-up routine,” says Jontell. “They also took the patients’ blood pressure and checked total cholesterol and blood sugar levels.”

The risk of cardiovascular disease was worked out using a software known as HeartScore. The dentists felt that 12 of the men had a 10% risk of developing a fatal cardiovascular disease over the next 10 years and advised them to see their doctors. Six of the twelve were subsequently prescribed medication to lower their blood pressure.

“Dentists regularly see a very large percentage of the Swedish population, and if there is sufficient interest they could also screen for cardiovascular risk factors which, untreated, could lead to a heart attack or stroke,” says Jontell.

(Some of the key information you will find in this UK Dental regulations category.)

The information below is documentation you must be in possession of before we can send you to jobs found in our Dental Jobs database.
If you are successful in gaining a position through Medicruit you will need to provide this information below to your new employer.

If there is anything you are unsure of please feel free to fill out our simple online Contact Form. Or contact us via telephone or snail mail HERE.

Any ONE of the documents listed below will provide the necessary evidence of the right to work in the UK.

• A passport showing that the holder is a British citizen, or has the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

• A document showing that the holder is a national of a European Economic Area country* or Switzerland. This must be a national passport or national identity card.

• A residence permit issued by the United Kingdom to a national from the European Economic Area country or Switzerland.

• A passport or other document issued by the Home Office which has an endorsement stating that the holder has a current right of residence in the United Kingdom as the family member of a national from a European Economic Area country or Switzerland.

• A passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder can stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom, or has no time limit on their stay.

• A passport or o ther travel document endorsed to show that the holder can stay in the United Kingdom; and that this endorsement allows the holder to do the type of work the employer is offering if they do not have a work permit.

• An Application Registration Card issued by the Home Office to an asylum seeker stating that the holder is permitted to take employment.

*The following countries are part of the EEA: Austria; Belgium; Denmark; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom;
Cyprus; Czech Republic; Estonia; Hungary; Latvia; Lithuania; Malta; Poland; Slovakia; Slovenia; Bulgaria and Romania.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Two of the documents in the combinations listed below will provide evidence of the right to work in the UK.

First Combination:

A) A document giving a person’s permanent National Insurance number and name. This could be a: P45, P60, National Insurance card, or a letter from a Government agency

AND 1 of the following documents:

B) a full birth certificate issued in the United Kingdom, which includes the names of the holder.s parents or

C) a birth certificate issued in the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Ireland or

D) a certificate of registration or naturalisation stating that the holder is a British citizen or

E) a letter issued by the Home Office which indicates that the person named in it can stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay

OR

F) an Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it can stay indefinitely in the United Kingdom or has no time limit on their stay or

G) a letter issued by the Home Office which indicates that the person named in it can stay in the United Kingdom; and this allows them to do the type of work that the employer is offering or

H) an Immigration Status Document issued by the Home Office with an endorsement indicating that the person named in it can stay in the United Kingdom; and this allows them to do the type of work that the employer is offering.

Second Combination:

A) A work permit or other approval to take employment that has been issued by Work Permits UK

AND 1 of the following documents:

B) a passport or other travel document endorsed to show that the holder is able to stay in the United Kingdom and can take the work permit employment in question or

C) a letter issued by the Home Office confirming that the person named in it is able to stay in the United Kingdom and can take the work permit employment in question

1. Register with the General Dental Council (GDC) which is the governing body in the UK for Dentistry. You can find their website at www.gdc-uk.org. You will receive a GDC Number which will register you as a Dental Professional in the United Kingdom.
2. Dependant on where you qualified , you may have to do the mandatory GDC Overseas Registration Exam. Formerly known as the IQE. You are exempt from this exam if you obtained a recognised qualification from within the European Economic Area. (EEA)
3. All overseas dentists , EEA Qualified or otherwise must complete an English Language Test. More information can be found at ielts or ubelts
4. Obtain your Indemnity Insurance. You can get this at the Dental Defence Union or through Dental Protection.
5. Dependant on your level of experience in your own country or where you qualified, you may also have to meet additional clinical standards by  completing your     Vocational Training (VT) to work within an NHS Dental Practice in the UK. You will be mentored by a VT Trainer in preparation to work within the NHS. It normally takes 6-12 months to gain VT Equivalence.
6. Once you have all of the above in place you can now consider whether you wish to work within an NHS Practice or within a Private Practice. All EU Dentists can work within a private practice once they have their GDC & Indemnity Insurance.  All Non-EU Dentists MUST have their GDC, Indemnity AND have completed their ORE.
7. Any Dentist, UK qualified or otherwise who wishes to work within an NHS Practice must obtain a Performer Number from the Local Primary Care Trust (PCT). The PCT will require you to show your Indemnity Insurance, GDC Certificate & English Language Test Results. Every PCT is different and will vary in terms of the documentation they ask from you. Once you have completed your application they will apply for a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check. Also they will often request refernces from University or previous employers. Once you receive your Performer Number, which may take 3 months, you can now work within a UK NHS Practice.
8. Dependant on your UK Residency status you may also have to contact the UK Home Office to secure a work permit. homeoffice.gov.uk

Widely recognised as the most beautiful city in Scotland , and the cultural hub.
As part of the Lothian region, it consists of East Lothian, Midlothian and West Lothian, where you can discover tales of Scotland’s past…… Stately homes, dramatic castles and medieval chapels all provide a sense of Scotland’s grand history.

The surrounding area has many historic towns and scenic villages , which are great for exploring. From award winning beaches, St.Andrew’s famous golf course and some of Scotland’s most impressive visitor attractions. Such as art & international film festivals.
Other attractions, to name but a few are the King’s Theatre and Musselburgh Racecourse.

Like any other city, Edinburgh has award winning restaurants, shops and pubs, which are situated along the elegant terraces and streets of Edinburgh.
Wherever you may choose to live and work in the surrounding areas, or even if you choose a position with Medicruit somewhere else in the UK, Edinburgh is easier to get to than you may first think.

Whether you choose to travel by air, road or rail, Edinburgh is easily within reach.
Once there, Edinburgh is a compact city, which makes it easy to get around on foot. City centre attractions are within walking distance of one another.

The Ross Fountain in Edinburgh

Whilst local bus services cover the majority of the city, train and bus services also serve the wider Lothian region.
A high quality Tram network is being created for Edinburgh, and is scheduled to be running on the streets of Edinburgh by 2011.

If you are interested in the idea of living and working in Edinburgh and are a Foreign Dentist, living in Europe, outside the UK, then visit our associate jobs in Scotland page. Or if you would like to see all UK dental jobs, visit here.

The World Famous 'Edinburgh Castle'

Edinburgh – Leisure & Activities:

Edinburgh Castle

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art

St. Andrews Golf Course

Medieval Old Town

The Ancient & Royal Clubhouse of St.Andrews (photo: Gordon McKinlay)

Cost of Living:

Evening Meal Per Person – £25
Average House Price – £266,992
Average Fuel Per Litre – £1.04
Taxi Per Mile – £2.50
Return Bus From Airport – £5

Commutable Cities & Towns:

Dunfermline 18.2 Miles
Livingston 20 Miles
North Berwick 23 Miles
Falkirk 26 Miles

Airport:

Edinburgh Airport
Turn House Road
Midlothian
EH12 9DN

Main Rail:

Edinburgh Waverley Railway Station,
Edinburgh
EH1 1BB

Time to London: 4 hours 19 minutes

Here we will discuss the private dental sector in some detail, which will provide good foundations for knowledge and future job decisions we would hope. Knowledge and information should be gleaned from our site and from talking to our knowledgable staff at Medicruit, which will help make career decisions by foreign dentists from europe a lot easier.
Of course most practices within the UK work with both the private dentistry sector and the NHS.

The UK market for private dentistry is continuing to grow exponentially. The market grew by more than 60 %  between 1997 and 2001 and is currently valued at over £1 billion. In real terms that’s a 50% increase in size!

More than 7 millon members of the public in the UK regularly receive private dental work. Most of these private dental practices provide Private AND NHS treatment. In fact only 200 out of all the 11,000 dental practices in the United Kingdom, provide only private dental work.

The reason for this proliferation is twofold. Firstly the NHS Dental Department is wildly overstretched. Secondly, more and more members of the public are choosing to go private for cosmetic dental treatments like tooth whitening.

These are the factors where the public are affecting the market. Dentists are affecting the industry directly by choosing private patients, naturally, as simply the work is more varied and it pays better. The Government, and past Governments have failed to address the issue and have seriously underfunded the NHS Dental Service for years.

It would be fair to predict the Private Dentistry sector will continue to flourish whilst the NHS side will reduce if the next Government follows suit. David Cameron has said that he will address issues with the NHS Dental Service.

More incredible than that, the NHS report found that 159 dentists earned between £250,000 and £275,000, 113 earned between £275,000 and £300,000, and 382 earned more than £300,000.

The statistsics are based on an official NHS report which has all the data from the 19,500 dentists in the UK.

• The average dentists’ wage was £89,062 .

• 7,500 dentists’ run their own practices with a contract with local primary care services to provide NHS dental services  had an average  gross income of £345,651 before taxes.

• The 12,000 dentists working in a practice without an NHS contract earned on average £65,697 (before tax). With typical expenses of £33,512, this took average total earnings to £99,208.

The report covers just the earnings and expenses of full- and part-time, self-employed primary care dentists who undertook some NHS work in England and Wales in the year, and covers both their NHS and private work. Earnings include fees for treating both NHS and private patients in 2007-08, the second year of the new dental contract.

The Health minister Ann Keen said: “NHS dentistry is improving and many dentists are now keen to expand their NHS work. Today’s report confirms that NHS dentists have good levels of earnings.

“Access to NHS dentistry is continuing to improve, following record investment, an expanding workforce and a continuing increase in the amount of services being bought by the NHS.”

The full NHS government report can be found for England & Wales here:

www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalearnexp0708