BDA: Reforms have failed

Falling numbers of people seeing a dentist reflect problems with the dental contract, the British Dental Association (BDA) has claimed.

Its comments follow statistics from the NHS Information Centre which revealed that fewer people now see a dentist than before the reforms were brought in during April 2006.

BDA chief executive Peter Ward said the statistics offer "fresh evidence" that the reforms have failed to achieve their aim.

"They've failed to improve access to care for patients and failed to allow dentists to provide the modern, preventive care they want to deliver," he added.

"Instead, this contract encourages sporadic, episodic treatment, rather than the long-term, continuing relationships that dentists and their patients value.

"The government must heed these statistics and work with patients and dentists to find constructive solutions to the problems with the reforms behind this decline."