Something rotten

April Fool's Day last year saw the arrival of a dental contract pledging simpler charging and better access to local services. The contract devolved responsibility for commissioning NHS dental services to local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) and was the subject of debate and discussion before it was even introduced. As far back as November 2005, the British Dental Association (BDA) was warning the contract could signal an exodus of dentists from the NHS, with many citing the 'drill and fill' culture and fears of even less time for preventive dental work as the reasons for their potential depa...