Dentist morale is at an all time low, says new research
A new report released by NHS Digital has revealed that almost three quarters of all dentists in Wales have considered ending their careers. This has now sparked concerns that morale is at an all time low for Welsh dentists.
The figures come as a stark contrast to those in England, which show that only half of British dentists have been interested in leaving the profession. The British Dental Association (BDA) has now spoken out to blame the loss of morale and the lack of new dentists being recruited on “savage cuts”.
The BDA went on to counter claims made by Welsh Government representatives that they are working hard to improve dentists’ working conditions and to boost the number of new dentists. Morale amongst the Welsh dentists is “on the floor”, according to Katrina Clarke, Chair of the BDA’s Welsh General Dental Practice Committee.
The organisation also pointed out that dentists are getting paid significantly less in Wales, and that their real term pay has decreased by 35 per cent over the last decade. The results of the NHS Digital survey of 2015-16 reflect this, with only just over a third of all Welsh dentists actually enjoying their jobs. The figure is a poor comparison to the fifty per cent of dentists feeling satisfied with their work in England.
Dentists have recently accused the Welsh government of making a U-turn on their promise to dedicate millions of pounds to the Welsh NHS dental system, and of reducing spending. They cite the main problem as being budget cuts, and that money originally intended for the NHS has now been repurposed.
