Recently I came across tweets posted by Roger Matthews Denplan CDO, about a survey conducted online between April-May 2015: https://goo.gl/a4xIkT

The 100 dentists in the sample held an NHS contract in England, with over 70% of their patients being treated under their NHS contracts. The respondents were not part of a corporate body or a member of a payment plan provider. The survey covered a wide range of issues and as a young dentist, I am interested in the availability and accessibility of information as I have invested five years of study in order to enter this profession; being able to find out what other dentists' experiences and opinions are is paramount in keeping engaged with the current issues in dentistry. 

These are some of the key findings from the Denplan survey:

* 65% of dentists surveyed rate their knowledge of the current situation regarding NHS dental pilots and prototype as fair or poor.

* 76% agree they are frustrated that more than four years after piloting began we are still no nearer to a final model.

* 95% of dentists are not confident that political assurances for NHS funding commitments will filter down to primary care dentistry

* 86% would like NHS England to state clearly what is and what is not available in NHS dentistry – just 2% disagreed.

Surveys are snapshots of what is happening on the ground and should be used as a launch pad to have an ongoing  conversation. I welcome those who want to engage and  discuss, it is the future of the profession.

To see other issues that face young dentists, see my blog www.atoothgerm.blogspot.co.uk