If nothing changes, then what will become of NHS Orthodontics?

Tackling NHS Orthodontics Challenges with DentalMonitoring

Navigating the complexities of NHS orthodontics in the UK is no small feat. The current situation is complex, very tight budgetary constraints, high patient volumes, and uncertainty when it comes to the contract renewals. NHS orthodontic professionals face a unique set of challenges. When we look at the UOA values and the costs of running a practice you can start to see that making a profit is a huge challenge. So, it is no surprise when we see more practices handing back contracts, as it stands doing NHS Orthodontics at least from a commercial perspective may be deemed to simply not be worth the hassle.

Addressing Operational Challenges

NHS orthodontic practices often grapple with balancing quality care against operational limitations. I have witnessed practices with patients queuing outside of the door waiting on the street for their appointment, more often than not a 10 minute appointment with a therapist for a wire change/fixed adjust. I recently heard a PM describe the situation as like a conveyor belt system. Staffing is a major issue and again there is no quick fix here but if nothing changes with scheduling or the way these practices are run then:

1) They are destined to fail in the long run

2) Patients will get subpar treatment experiences

3) They will be stressful practices to work in - relentless and fitting in emergency appointments where they can

So what could help?

At the end of 2023, several NHS practices with over 2000 patients each put all their patients onto DentalMonitoring. Why would they do this?

DM allows practices to mitigate the strain of high patient loads and limited resources. It comes down to the platform's ability to streamline appointment scheduling, treatment monitoring, and patient communication working towards operational sustainability. We talk about efficiency a lot, an efficient NHS practice is more profitable, less stressful to work in and most importantly provides a better service to the patient.

Enhancing Patient Experience and Outcomes

In NHS orthodontics, the patient experience and outcomes cannot be overlooked. DM can play a pivotal role here, offering a level of engagement that traditional methodologies miss. Effectively using DM will result in patients being seen at more appropriate intervals, typically patients are seen every 6-8 weeks, if you are seeing thousands of patients this results in a diary that has no room for anything but rapid appointments much akin to the conveyor belt mentioned earlier. Imagine freeing up 20% of your diary from effectively seeing patients at 8-10 weeks instead, what effect would that have on your practice and your patient experience?

Emergencies

Every practice varies but if you want to triage your emergencies with high quality images and only see true emergencies then DM can help, almost every practice that utilises DM properly will again be more effective in their scheduling of emergency appointments and again save valuable time, no more fitting them in where you can.

Prescribing and Appointment Lengths?

Imagine being able to prescribe to therapists from up to date scans a week before the patient enters for their appointments. Imagine knowing how the treatment is progressing a week out from the appointment so you can schedule the right amount of time for it. Planning a fixed adjust and the patient presents with 3 debonded brackets - now you will know about it before hand!

Costs?

We know the cost pressures and therefore have a pricing model that works even with the tight margins found in NHS Orthodontics. We won't let cost be a barrier to helping your practice succeed with it's NHS work.

In summary

For NHS orthodontic practices, the integration of DM is more than just an upgrade – it's a strategic response to the unique challenges you face. The cost of inaction in this context isn't just financial; it's the missed opportunity to elevate patient care and operational efficiency to new heights. DM isn't just a tool; we really believe it's a pathway to transforming the future of NHS orthodontics.