Published: March 19, 2021
Taking place on 20th March 2021, World Oral Health Day aims to send out a powerful message: Be Proud of Your Mouth. Oral diseases are often linked to other serious health issues, and can lead to pain and discomfort, social isolation and loss of self-confidence. However, most oral health conditions are largely preventable and can be treated in their early stages, meaning patients can live a longer, healthier life.
We are all only too aware of the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had on our hospitals, and the enormous toll it has had on the incredible individuals who work within the NHS. But like every industry, the implications of the pandemic have spread across the entire healthcare sector, and Unity Trust Bank recognises that the dentistry sector has been no different.
Having been forced to stop routine treatment between March and June last year, dental practices across the UK faced significant challenges and financial uncertainty connected to their NHS contract fulfilment and patient plans. Like other healthcare providers, dental surgeries needed to be reconfigured, to ensure they were Covid-secure. This meant the number of patients who could be seen was significantly reduced, allowing for the required ‘fallow time’ or cleaning to take place between each appointment.
A number of dentists have utilised government schemes and invested in equipment to speed up this process so that they could continue to provide effective care for patients, but it has taken a toll on their finances. Despite these challenges, the sector has seen increased diversification, and surgeries have been able to access additional funding by delivering additional income streams such as phantom labs, where trainees can practice, and the provision of specialist dental services.
Unity Trust Bank is committed to aligning its practices with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which includes promoting good health and wellbeing. As oral health specialists and business owners continue to take an innovative and forward-thinking approach, Unity is proud to work with dentists across the UK, who are supporting the health and wellbeing of local communities through the provision of vital and, more importantly, accessible oral care.
World Oral Health Day is an initiative of FDI World Dental Federation. To learn more, visit www.worldoralhealthday.org.
