Sir, C. D. Franklin (BDJ 2007; 203: 378) makes an understatement about SHAs 'needing persuasion' to release funding intended for the KITS scheme.

I was an active GDP with an NHS commitment until 2002, when a career break was forced upon me due to Dupytren's contracture. Initially, the London-administered KITS worked well. Costs for GDC membership, and for postgraduate study courses, were refunded. I was able to keep up-to-date and even to take a postgraduate diploma.

After delegation of the responsibility to the SHAs, however, the picture changed. I have been refused support by two neighbouring SHAs, leaving me with a difficult decision as to whether I can afford to retain my connections to the profession at all.

Practitioners who are on KITS will typically be enjoying a low income, yet are expected to keep up their GDC registration (a high price in itself, but also necessitating postgraduate study commitment with its own costs), BDA membership and defence organisation membership.

We are occasionally reminded how much it costs to train a new dental graduate – how much more must a competent and experienced practitioner be worth?

The mechanisms for support are supposedly in place. Why is it so difficult to get it?