Tynwald here in IOM has recently approved increases in dental charges and has called an end to free dental checkups except for those on certain state benefits. From 1st April 2015 there is now a £18.50 charge in place for a routine examination, including x-ray, scale and polish.
Why did they take the free dental checkup away?
They stated that island dentists are private dentists doing NHS work and they would have billed ‘the department’ for the free dental checkup prior to this change. Therefore this new policies aim is to save the department money. According to The Minister, “It is our belief that we are going to use some of this money for other initiatives” these suggested initiatives include delivering toothbrushes and toothpaste to each household with a pre-school child and using part of the income to purchase additional dental services.
There are a number of concerns I have about this new policy and so many questions I’d like to be answered such as, who exactly made the decision end free dental checkups? Were professionals and the public consulted at all prior to this decision being made and who exactly is going to complete this initiative?
It is important to know if the £287,000 pounds they have quoted will be spent on staff and toothbrushes initiative alone. Can the government actually believe that their proposed initiative is the best way to educate and inform people about their oral health? Because I believe it is not and if they had consulted dental professionals and the public they may have a more informed view of how best to educate our island community.
What does that mean to you?
Well, for many having a free dental checkup was an incentive to visit the dentist. A lot of people don’t consider the dentist as high on their priority list. Knowing that they now have to pay for a checkup may be a big deterrent for them.
On the other hand there are many island residents that have not been able to register with an NHS dentist and fearing that a private dentist costs would be out of their reach, have not had their teeth checked in many years.
Speaking as both a former NHS dentist and a private dentist I cannot ignore the fact that oral health issues are on the increase and there is a fundamental need for everyone to have regular checkups. Offering patient’s advice on how to care for their teeth can in many cases ensure that they only require a checkup twice a year and, it can be an excellent way to spot many other illnesses in the body in the early stages.
Yes dental costs across the board have risen but responsible and professional dentists do also factor into their checkup prices, affordability.
Tracey Bell
Back to blog