Dental care in the NHS: reforms with teeth?
Dental services in the UK are currently undergoing a period of major upheaval. This paper examines recent policy initiatives with respect to patient charges, dentists' remuneration, information and patient choice, the supply of dental personnel, and the prevention of dental diseases. It is argued that changes in dentists' remuneration and the greater use of auxiliary personnel are likely to improve efficiency, whereas changes in patient charges are not. Water fluoridation remains the most efficient and equitable means of promoting dental health.
Department of Public Health, University of Aberdeen, UK.
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Yule
D002204:Capitation Fee; D003752:Dental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003815:Dentists / Q000191:economics / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005250:Fees, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D010358:Patient Participation; D011313:Preventive Dentistry; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012052:Reimbursement, Incentive; D013222:State Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom