Dental Leaders Urge GDC Reform to Support NHS Workforce Plan
The Association of Dental Groups (ADG) emphasized to health secretary Wes Streeting that reforming the General Dental Council (GDC) is essential for the future of dentistry and a key element of the NHS 10-Year Workforce Plan.
Concerns Over Workforce Shortages
Neil Carmichael, ADG's executive chair, highlighted the significant shortage in the dental workforce during the NHS 10 Year Workforce Plan session hosted by the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC).
“The gap in the dental workforce is huge. With over 2,700 dentist vacancies and gaps in the wider workforce, we are short of over 5,000 dental professionals across the NHS and Private sectors. Coupled with the fact that only 0.8% of dentists are actively looking for work, and just 1.5% of DCPs are seeking employment, we don’t have a UK workforce lining up to take these jobs on.”
Call for GDC's Role in Workforce Solutions
Carmichael urged that without reform from the GDC, access to dental care will remain a pressing issue.
“Without reform of the GDC, access to dentistry will continue to be a serious problem.”
The ADG stressed that to successfully implement the NHS 10-Year Workforce Plan, healthcare agencies including the GDC must actively contribute to resolving the workforce crisis.
Summary
Dental leaders call for urgent modernization of the General Dental Council to address workforce shortages and improve access to dentistry within the NHS framework.
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