How much attention have you paid to the dental news this week?

How much attention have you paid to the dental news this week?

So, how much attention have you paid to the dental news this week? – 7 October 2023. It’s been a busy week for dental news. Missed it? Here’s what’s happened over the past seven days…

Labour promises contract reform and 700,000 extra NHS dental appointments

In his first policy announcement ahead of the party’s annual conference in Liverpool, Labour leader Keir Starmer made a number of pledges to save NHS dentistry.

Furthermore, the plans will cost £111 million a year in total, and will be funded by abolishing the non-dom tax status, the party says.

Pledges include:

• An extra 700,000 urgent dental appointments and reform the NHS dental contract
• Incentives for new dentists to work in areas with the greatest need
• Supervised toothbrushing in schools for three to five year olds.

Dentist suspended after making ‘sexually motivated’ comment to elderly patient

A dentist has been suspended for 12 months after making ‘sexually motivated’ comments to an elderly patient.

Smile Direct Club files for bankruptcy

Smile Direct Club, the teledentistry aligner company, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it was revealed last week.

Four in five women over 50 are unaware of menopause-oral health link

As we kick off Menopause Awareness Month, new data suggests that 84% of women over the age of 50 are not aware of its oral health impact.

Confronting racial misconceptions within dentistry

Oluwasola Asaolu, a fourth year dental student and study Youtuber, reflects on the impact of microaggressions and racial bias in the dental practice.