British Dental Association reaction to publication of Open Wide? Report - UK

Responding to the publication of Contact a Family's Open Wide? report, the BDA has backed calls to improve information about dental care for disabled children. Although the report finds positive experiences of the dental care given to disabled children, it nonetheless highlights problems with information that prevent some patients getting the care they need.


Commenting on the report, Janet Clarke, Chair of the British Dental Association's Central Committee for Community and Public Health Dentistry, said:


"The families of disabled children welcome the commitment and quality of their dentists. But it's also clear that many parents struggle to get dental care for their children because they are simply unable to find the right information about the service available. That flaw must be addressed."


The report also identified significant problems with the funding of salaried primary dental care, the area of the dental service most often used by disabled children, and expressed concerns that the service could be overwhelmed without significant and immediate investment.


Janet Clarke continued:


"This report stresses the value placed on salaried primary care dentistry by the parents of the many patients who use it. The service does, however, face significant challenges. Only by ensuring an adequate supply of dentists, and providing proper funding for the service, can the Government and primary care trusts hope to continue to meet the needs of some of our most vulnerable patients."


1. Open Wide? was published on 22 September 2005. An executive summary of the report is available at: bda.


2. Contact a Family is a national organization that provides support, advice and information for families with disabled children.


3. The report will be discussed at a fringe meeting at this year's Labour Party Conference. Titled 'No Entry: Primary care for all, not just those fit enough to get it!', the session takes place on Tuesday 27 September.


4. Salaried Primary Dental Care refers to the care provided by dentists directly employed by primary care trusts.


5. The British Dental Association is the trade union and professional association for dentists practicing in the UK, representing 20,000 members working in all aspects of dentistry.


6. For further information, please contact the BDA on 0207 563 4145/6.


bda-dentistry.uk