Why do dentists leave the NHS?
Well money for a start, on the NHS a dentist earns around 50,000 a year … Go private and they can earn three times that amount. NHS dentists only get paid for the work they do, like fillings or removing a tooth and, crucially, they do not get paid for giving preventative advice. Obviously I don’t want to go private until we absolutely have to but I can’t rule out that we will do. It’s something that I will resist as long as I can keep the practice running and yes I could make more money if I was working privately, but I’m more comfortable at the moment making a bit less, but still staying with the NHS. Dr Anthony Griffiths Massive changes to NHS dentistry The government plans, which will see responsibility for NHS dentistry devolved from the Department of Health to local Primary Care Trusts, are included in the Health and Social Care Act currently going through Parliament. Negotiations between the primary care trusts, the British Dental Association and the Department of Health are on
