‘Better Deal for British Dental Technology’ campaign launched by DLA
Today the DLA launched its ‘Better Deal for British Dental Technology’ campaign, as part of its ongoing efforts to highlight the commercially and professionally challenging environment that the DLA membership are working in at the moment.
The following is taken from the DLA’s statement on the issues they will be acting upon:
“General Dental Council
1. The DLA aims to challenge the current belief within the GDC that poor payment between dental practices managed and owned by registered dental professionals to a dental laboratory isn’t a professional conduct issue. The DLA wishes to see registered dental professionals who fail to act in a proper business manner with fellow registered dental professionals and businesses within dentistry to be brought before a ‘fitness to practice’ committee, and appropriate disciplinary sanctions to be awarded to those found guilty in order to discourage this growing trend. The DLA will aim to highlight the potential impact on patients and their custom made dental appliances should this problem continue to increase within the profession.
2. The DLA will continue to lobby for the low level registration fee for dental technicians; the DLA believes that the profession of dental technology offers very few risks to the patient, and therefore does not warrant costly registration to accommodate the registration of other professions within dentistry that do have greater potential risks to patients.
Department of Health
3. The DLA will lobby for a review of the NHS materials list currently being used for the NHS contract. This list is over 20 years old, and does not reflect the materials and techniques now available to the dental technology profession. We will also lobby the Dept. of Health for an awareness campaign to be launched with dental practices to ensure that they are aware that the legal responsibility of prescribing items not included on the NHS materials list is with the prescribing dentist, and not the dental laboratory or dental technician.
4. The DLA will aim to highlight the significant cost restrictions imposed on dental laboratories as a result of the commissioning of NHS dental services, including contracts with dental corporates and primary healthcare commissioning. The DLA will lobby for a ‘lab fee element’ to be identified for custom made dental appliances within the contract values, or a lab fee formula that the dental profession as a whole can use as per the arrangements with the Statement of Dental Remuneration prior to Options for Change.
5. The DLA will lobby for regular meetings with the Chief Dental Officer and their team, to maintain regular updates on the dental technology profession in the UK.
Promoting British Dental Technology
6. The DLA will continue to promote the British Bite Mark within the dental profession, at national conferences, via social media, and in our lobbying statements.
7. The DLA will continue to lobby the British Government to support the initiative, and particularly look to work with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
8. The DLA will lobby the opposition parties in UK Parliament to work with the DLA in identifying key threats to our profession as well as promoting and supporting British Dental Technology. These threats will include all of the above items of concern as well as any additional challenges the DLA become aware of throughout the year.
9. The DLA will continue to promote British Dental Technology to patients and patient awareness groups as part of our DLA 2020 initiative.”
General reaction to the campaign has so far been positive, and the DLA blog will be keeping you up to date with any and all new developments as they happen.
