title: NHS pilots in primary care--an insight into the future?
abstract: This article looks at the background to the current changes in primary care dentistry being piloted in England. It looks at the structure of the different elements being piloted, such as the oral health assessment, interim care appointments and care pathways. It also examines advanced care pathways and how complex care will be provided when clinically feasible and beneficial to the patient. The authors have worked in a type 1 pilot practice since September 2010.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NHS contract currently being piloted in England delivers care through care pathways and clinical risk assessments with prevention as an important building block for the delivery of services. There are new measures planned for measuring quality outcomes in primary care. This has implications for how services are delivered, who delivers them and how dentists will be remunerated in the future.
authors.forename: Tajinder
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sihra
authors.forename: Len
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Cruz
mesh_terms: D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D003190:Comprehensive Dental Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D003284:Contract Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D019091:Critical Pathways; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003729:Dental Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D005544:Forecasting; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D009909:Oral Health; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011313:Preventive Dentistry / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013218:State Dentistry / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000639:trends; D006113:United Kingdom