13 May 2022
BSPD responds to reports of pandemic child tooth extractions data
The pandemic has shone a harsh spotlight on some long-standing issues including the persistent and immoral inequalities we see in children’s oral health. However, a reduction in the number of children undergoing dental treatment under general anaesthesia was inevitable given that specialist teams were redeployed, and theatre spaces repurposed to support the nation-wide Covid-response. Our members, many of whom were redeployed to support the Covid response, are working hard to recover children’s dental services equitably and fairly but this will take time. In some regions teams are working at 180% of pre-Covid capacity as the profession strives to reduce the currently unacceptable waiting times for procedures under general anaesthesia.
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