Sir, could we congratulate you on the excellent editorial Someone needs to get a grip (BDJ 2007; 202: 111). However, irrespective as to whether or not a single body is required to deal with personnel requirements, the methodology used is of far greater importance.

The Department of Health has continued to rely upon a supply and demand model to estimate personnel requirements with its emphasis on bean counting. The shortcomings of such an approach have been highlighted elsewhere; simulation models are at best ineffective and at worst, provide misleading solutions with expensive financial and political consequences.1 These are exactly the issues highlighted in the editorial. Until the Department of Health accept that such an approach is outmoded, indeed worse than useless, the mistakes made will continue.

The purpose of modelling is not for predictive purposes; it is to examine the acceptability of policy options. Modelling should explore the viability of alternative future systems, discover unexpected problems from resource stress and produce a management tool to aid selection of best policy.2

A start would be for the Department to specify exactly what is meant by 'NHS dentistry' and stop hiding behind mealy-mouthed rhetoric if we are to prevent the creation of a generation of unemployed, disillusioned but talented and costly trained individuals. Given the present Government's performance in other areas of policy we hold out little hope.