Dental Services: Coronavirus

(asked on 8th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the return of UDA to dental practices on the transmission of covid-19.


Answered by
Jo Churchill Portrait
Jo Churchill
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This question was answered on 3rd February 2021

NHS England and NHS Improvement have set a 45% dental activity target. This target is based upon clinical advice and modelling from the office of the Chief Dental Officer and has taken into consideration robust adherence to infection prevention and control guidance and social distancing requirements. Furthermore, data on the percentages of activity dental practices have achieved to date supports the view that the target can be safely attainable.

National Health Service commissioners have the discretion to make exceptions, for instance in cases where a dental practice has been impacted by staff being required to self-isolate and the reinstatement of shielding during the national lockdown. There are currently no plans to review or change the unit of dental activity targets for January to March 2021.

A steady increase in dental activity has been made possible following updated Public Health England’s Infection Prevention and Control guidance. However, dental services continue to operate at reduced capacity due to the need for social distancing, personal protective equipment and other measures. By following this guidance, the risk of COVID-19 transmission is significantly reduced. Dental practices have a responsibility to ensure that social distancing is always adhered to, irrespective of activity targets.

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