Dentists earnings fall across the UK
There has been a drop in taxable income for GDPs throughout the UK according to new figures published by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).
Dentists in Scotland saw their average earnings drop 4 per cent to £68,800 in 2012/2013 from £71,700 the previous year. For principal dentists the drop was 5.4 per cent, from £102,900 in 2011/2012 to £97,400. For associates the drop was only 0.6 per cent, down to £57,200 from £57,600.
The HSCIC repport stated that: “The general trend for self-employed primary care dentists in Scotland in 2012/13 shows a drop in taxable income due to gross earnings decreasing more than total expenses. This is in line with the general trend since 2008/09.”
For self-employed primary care dentists in England and Wales, the average taxable income was £72,600, compared to £74,400 in 2011/2012 – a 2.4 per cent decrease. In Northern Ireland, the average taxable incomes for all self-employed GDS dentists was £71,600, compared to £75,800 last year, a drop of 5.6 per cent.
Mick Armstrong, Chair of the BDA’s Principal Executive Committee, said: “NHS dentists have seen their incomes falling year-on-year for the past five years, at the same time that expenses are rising. Taking a hit like this inevitably affects dentists’ ability to care for the nation’s oral health. If governments continue to ignore this fact, there is a risk that dental care could fall behind the rest of Europe.
“While dentists recognise the pressures facing the public purse, governments must recognise the stress, expense and complexity involved in providing safe, effective, high quality dental care.
“Dentists are also working hard to meet the high demand for complex restorative dental care required by our increasingly ageing population, and governments must start investing significant sums in dentistry now if they are genuinely concerned about satisfying the oral health needs of this cohort, which will be necessary for decades to come.”
To read the HSCIC report in full, click here.
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