Perspectives of dentists in primary care ahead of the 'new ways of working'.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the future intentions and motivations of general dental practitioners (GDPs) relating to NHS dental practice in South Yorkshire.

DESIGN

Focus group discussions.

SETTING

General dental practices providing NHS care within South Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

SUBJECTS (MATERIALS) AND METHODS: Twenty-nine dental practitioners were purposively sampled and invited to take part in a series of focus groups. Focus groups were transcribed and data analysed to identify themes and concepts.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Themes and concepts relating to the current and future provision of dentistry and the proposed 'new ways of working' of the new dental contract.

RESULTS

The data fell into three broad categories: the organisational structures of dentistry; the future of dentistry; and the CDS. This paper focuses largely on the second category, the future of NHS dentistry. The first category related to the organisational structures of dentistry, and encompassed perceptions that dentistry was not a high priority for the Government and that current changes were politically motivated and to be implemented by PCTs with a lack of capacity for the management of such wide-reaching changes. The second category covered the future of NHS dentistry. For some, NHS dentistry was in a precarious and uncertain position, coupled with a lack of clarity and information on the 'new ways of working' and exacerbated by problems in the recruitment and retention of future dental practitioners. The last category dealt with views in connection with the CDS.

CONCLUSION(S): In this 'snapshot in time' there was considerable uncertainty and instability within the general dental service against a backdrop of major organisational change. There was a need for information, guidance, openness and communication between the Government, PCTs and GDPs surrounding the implementation of the new contract.