Latest findings of the impact of COVID-19 on oral health and dentistry

On Thursday 9 June, the GDC published two research reports into the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the dental sector. One research explores the impact on the public and patients, and the other looks at the impact on dental professionals. Both are a build on the research they conducted in 2020.

Click here to read the reports.

You can also find updates on their COVID-19 web-pages to highlight the key themes and findings from this latest round of research.

The latest research indicates that the system is being overstretched, with many patients and dental professionals moving away from NHS dental services to the private dental sector. The pandemic has also exacerbated existing health inequalities. Our research found that a higher proportion of people from Asian and Black ethnic backgrounds were having more difficulties in accessing dental care. However, our research did find that confidence in dental services and feelings of safety in visiting practices has improved amongst the public since August 2020.

Demand for dental care has increased across all sectors, particularly the NHS, due to several reasons identified by the research, including a backlog in treatment. And despite higher levels of stress and anxiety, dental professionals continue to rise to the extraordinary challenges posed by the pandemic to deliver care and help the sector recover.