Published November 2021 and kept as a record. The figures and the law have moved on since it was written. For the current position see the current blogs. Note added 21 October 2026.
There is one main issue that many dental practices are facing right now: recruitment. The purpose of this article is to examine some of the reasons contributing to the shortage of dentists and other dental professionals.
Compliance with COVID can be stressful
Dental practices are now experiencing recruitment challenges because the pandemic has had a major impact over the past 18 months. Associates have been working in difficult and challenging conditions for more than 18 months. They have therefore decided to leave dentistry.
Post Brexit Relocation
In the wake of Brexit, many overseas dentists have returned to their country of origin. They haven't left the profession, but they are no longer in the UK.
Graduation Delays
Also, the pandemic has delayed many young dentists from graduating, which has led to a shortage of talent entering the profession at a crucial time.
Early Retirement
The pandemic has prompted many dentists approaching retirement age to make plans for their retirement. Thus, those dentists not only leave the profession early; they are also giving up their practices to younger dentists who, historically, would not take over ownership of a dental practice until later in their careers.
What does this mean?
Since so many positions in practices have become vacant, the status quo has been reversed and recruitment has become an employee’s market. Employers hold all the cards, and now we are seeing the effects of supply and demand.
Previously, associates would have needed to work in an NHS practice for several years before they had enough patients to transition to private dentistry. Now, there is a demand for private dentistry, and this has allowed associates to make that move more quickly.
The supply of dentists going into the NHS is rapidly declining because younger dentists want to avoid the stresses, targets, and contracts of the NHS and move into private dentistry earlier in their career. This is an issue for practices because the number of dentists going into the NHS is rapidly decreasing.