Over 20% of NHS General Dentist Roles Remain Vacant

Newly-released data from NHS England reveals a concerning workforce crisis in NHS dentistry, with more than one in five general dentist positions remaining unfilled as of March 2024. The report highlights that 21% of general dentist posts are vacant, equating to almost half a million (495,774) lost days of NHS activity. This shortage is exacerbated by an alarming 87% of these vacancies being concentrated within the NHS system itself, indicating a severe strain on public dental services.

The vacancy figures are part of a broader trend affecting various dental roles across the NHS. While the shortage of dental hygienists is slightly higher, with a vacancy rate of 23%, this translates into a smaller number of unfilled positions—98, compared to 2,749 for general dentists. NHS dental therapists are also facing a high vacancy rate of 20%, leaving 259 positions unfilled. Dental nurses, although experiencing a lower vacancy rate of 8%, still face significant shortages, with 1,161 posts unfilled, translating to over 170,000 lost NHS days.

The Impact of Vacancies on NHS Services

Shawn Charlwood, chair of the British Dental Association’s (BDA) General Dental Practice Committee, has strongly criticised the ongoing workforce shortages, describing the figures as indicative of a “broken system.” Charlwood stated, “Past governments pedalled workforce numbers that were a work of fiction. The reality shows just how deep the crisis in NHS dentistry goes.” He further emphasised the far-reaching consequences of these vacancies, explaining that “every single vacancy translates in thousands unable to access care. We’ve had promises of reform, but a broken system will push dentists out of the NHS every day it remains in force.”

The shortage of dental professionals is causing widespread disruption to NHS dental care, with significant delays and reduced availability of services for patients. The vacancy rate underscores the challenges faced by the NHS in attracting and retaining dental professionals, which has been compounded by rising workloads and insufficient support for existing staff.

NHS Full-Time Workforce Trends

According to the NHS data, around 15,000 general dentists are working full-time within the NHS, which is approximately 70% of the total full-time workforce in this sector. However, despite this sizable workforce, there remains a significant gap in staffing, particularly when compared to other sectors within NHS dentistry.

Orthodontic therapists, for example, report the highest proportion of full-time NHS workers, with 83% of the 520 full-time workers engaged in NHS activity. On the other hand, dental hygienists represent the lowest proportion of full-time workers in the NHS, with only 15% of the 5,782 respondents working full-time within the service.

These figures highlight the ongoing challenges of maintaining a stable workforce within the NHS dental sector, with a significant reliance on part-time or sessional staff, which can lead to inconsistencies in service delivery.

Exiting and Entering the Profession

The NHS data also sheds light on the movement of dental professionals in and out of the workforce. In the case of general dentists, the numbers of those joining and leaving the profession were fairly balanced, with 1,929 entering the profession and 1,964 leaving within a six-month period.

However, the departure rate is significantly higher for dental nurses. The number of dental nurses leaving the profession, 2,223, far exceeded the 1,503 who joined. This trend reflects a growing concern within the sector, particularly regarding the sustainability of the dental workforce. Trainee dental nurses, however, show a positive trend, with 2,681 joining compared to 1,746 leaving, suggesting some potential for growth in the sector’s future workforce.

It’s worth noting that NHS England’s data does not distinguish between professionals leaving the field altogether and those moving between practices. Therefore, professionals transitioning between practices would be reflected in both the joiner and leaver statistics.

Declining NHS Chair Time and Regional Variations

The NHS England data also explored how chair time is allocated within dental practices. The North East and Yorkshire region reported the highest percentage of NHS activity, with 77% of chair time dedicated to NHS work. However, this was a decrease from 84% in both March and September 2023, reflecting a broader trend of declining NHS engagement across various regions.

The South West region, in particular, showed a reduction in NHS activity, with just 60% of chair time allocated to NHS services. This area also had the highest number of chairs per practice, with an average of 4.7, but these figures had also dropped from 5.0 chairs per practice in March 2023.

A closer look at weekly patterns of NHS activity revealed significant disparities in working hours across the week. Practices were typically open for an average of 8 hours on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, but NHS activity significantly dropped on weekends, with just 1.3 hours of NHS work on Saturdays and a mere 0.3 hours on Sundays. In some regions, including the North West and South West, NHS practices were open for only 0.1 hours on Sundays.

A Growing Crisis

The newly released NHS England data paints a stark picture of the ongoing crisis in NHS dentistry, with widespread workforce shortages, high vacancy rates, and declining levels of NHS chair time. These issues highlight the urgent need for reform in the sector and raise questions about the long-term sustainability of NHS dental services.

The British Dental Association has long called for meaningful reform to address the structural issues within NHS dentistry, and the latest data serves as a stark reminder of the challenges ahead. As Shawn Charlwood puts it, “every single vacancy translates in thousands unable to access care,” and without urgent action, the crisis is likely to deepen further.

For more information, visit the full article on Dentistry.co.uk here.