Dentists in Northern Ireland want more time to help their patients have healthier teeth and avoid dental disease, according to the BDA's submission to the Primary Dental Care Strategy Consultation. More than two-thirds of high street dentists in Northern Ireland believe that they need more time with individual patients so they can take a more preventative approach to care.

The BDA's response to the consultation was informed by a survey of dentists in Northern Ireland. Almost 90% of practitioners agreed that dental care provided by the NHS in Northern Ireland needed to be modernised to improve patient care. Claudette Christie, the BDA's Director for Northern Ireland, said: 'Dentists need to be able to take a more preventative approach to care and this would be a real step forward in addressing Northern Ireland's disappointing oral health record.'

The BDA's response stresses that reform must be properly managed and that the Health Service must use the considerable skills of dentists and their staff if the dental health of the people of Northern Ireland is to be improved. 'This is a time of opportunity for dentistry in Northern Ireland,' said Claudette Christie, 'but it's crucial that any reforms are properly funded and meet the needs of both patients and dentists.'