LAUSR

Few issues have dominated the headlines over the past year or so more than Brexit, which is likely to affect almost all workforces in the UK, directly or indirectly. Dentistry is no exception and dental professionals pondering the changes ahead are likely to be noticing how it is starting to make a difference to the workplace and could increasingly do so before the market and workforce settles down. A significant minority – around a fifth – of the dental profession in the UK is made up of dentists who trained in the European Union (EU). There appear to be concerns amongst these dentists over their future, demonstrated by a report1 published earlier this year by dental regulator the General Dental Council (GDC). This report on the post-Brexit intentions of European Economic Area (EEA) qualified dental professionals was based in an online survey issued to all these professionals on the GDC register (approximately 6,300 registrants) carried out in the summer of 2018, and gathered responses from 2,464 registrants as well as ten in-depth interviews. Responses showed that almost a third (32%) of those surveyed said they were considering leaving the UK in the next few years, although more than half (55%) of this group said this might change if their qualifications continued to be recognised – a promise that the government has now given. Amongst those intending to leave, 82% said Brexit and the uncertainty about arrangements for EU citizens living and working in the UK was a significant factor in their reasoning. The vast majority (84%) said Brexit was leading to a shortage of healthcare workers in the UK and 75% agreed it was leading to a shortage of dental professionals. Many of those interviewed said they had come to the UK originally to work, mostly, for better pay and job availability, and many of those thinking of leaving the UK were considering such a move despite admitting they might earn less money or struggle to find a job. Others thought that rising wages and shortages of dental professionals in other European countries might make them more attractive than in the UK, particularly given the fall in the value of the pound following the EU referendum on the UK leaving the EU held in 2016. Head of Regulatory Intelligence at the GDC, David Teeman, says: ‘This research was undertaken before important issues have been resolved, such as recognition of qualifications, residency rights and access to the UK for existing and prospective dental professionals. ‘Once these issues are settled, we are planning a further round of research which will aim to provide us with increased insight and aid us in our planning.’ No precise date for this second phase of research has been set yet.