Latest news with #dentistry
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Calgary dentist pleads guilty to fraud for billing $126K in phoney insurance claims
Social Sharing A Calgary dentist whose business was found to be the highest billing clinic in Canada for root canals pleaded guilty to fraud this week on what was to be the first day of an eight-day trial. Dr. Alena Smadych admitted to defrauding both Sun Life and Blue Cross insurance companies out of more than $125,000. The College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta confirmed Smadych is no longer working. "The CDSA protects and serves the public interest," reads a statement provided to CBC News. "The public interest is protected as Dr. Smadych has ceased practising." 'Strange billing practices' The dentist was first charged with fraud in November 2023. A second charge was laid in April 2025. At the time of the offences, Smadych was the owner of the All About Family Dental Clinic on Elbow Drive. She sold it to another dentist in February. The investigation began after Sun Life identified "strange billing practices" back in September 2021, according to the agreed statement of facts (ASF) read aloud during the plea by prosecutor Gregory Whiteside. Sun Life determined Smadych's office was the highest billing general dentistry clinic for root canals in Canada. The investigation also found the clinic direct-billed the insurance company for repeat root canal and fillings. Large spikes in claims showed up in the clinic's billings at the end of each calendar year. On Dec. 24, 2020, the clinic had $19,000 in claims for 17 patients, with Smadych as the sole billing dentist. Falsified records Sun Life's audit of Smadych's claims uncovered 51 fraudulent claims over a six-year period totalling a loss of $96,965.46. "Smadych provided Sunlife falsified records related to the majority of the claims, including X-rays, in order to attempt to cover up the fraudulent claims," according to the ASF. After the Sun Life fraud was discovered, the Calgary Police Service got involved and alerted other insurance providers working with the All About Family Dental Clinic. Blue Cross investigators launched their own audit and found fraudulent claims totalling a $29,307.68 loss. A psychological pre-sentence report was ordered. Defence lawyer Alain Hepner said his client is working on paying restitution, "hopefully before the end of June."
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
The best water flossers, tested: seven models for that dentist-clean feeling
There isn't much I miss from my pre-Invisalign 'gappy teeth' days, but it was far more difficult for food and plaque to get stuck in the gaps – something I took for granted at the time. Using floss between my pre-braces teeth was easy, but ultimately pointless, like using a pipe cleaner to buff the Dartford Tunnel. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. With all the gaps closed, that's no longer the case, and my water flosser has become a welcome part of my dental routine. A water flosser fires an intense jet of water between the teeth to dislodge debris and leave your mouth feeling fresher. 'Most people know they should be flossing, but in reality, it's one of the most skipped steps in daily oral care,' says Dr Johannes Jacobs, the founder of Jacobs & Associates Dental Office. 'Patients who struggle with traditional flossing routines often do far better with water flossers, and their gum health improves noticeably.' Most of the dentists I spoke to favour floss or interdental brushes (such as TePe) – more on that in the what you need to know section below – but water flossers definitely offer convenience. 'The water flosser doesn't provide the scraping action that traditional string floss does, but what it offers in return is accessibility and comfort,' says Jacobs. 'For a lot of patients, that's the deciding factor. If flossing is painful, frustrating or impossible – due to dexterity issues or appliances such as braces – it usually just doesn't happen. 'A water flosser is easy to use, even for kids and older adults. That's why I often recommend it – not as a replacement for floss across the board, but as a realistic alternative for those who aren't flossing at all.' For the past few months, I've been putting water flossers through their paces. Here are my findings. Best water flosser overall:Waterpik Ultra Professional£84.15 at Amazon Best budget water flosser:Operan Cordless Oral Irrigator£21.99 at Amazon Best cordless water flosser: Philips Sonicare Cordless 3000£69.99 at John Lewis First off, because I have 32 teeth, as most adult humans do. A weird flex, granted, but a useful qualifier for anyone wanting to be taken seriously when it comes to assessing the merits of water flossers. Thanks to the aforementioned course of Invisalign, said teeth are also now close together, making them more of a sporting challenge for the water flossing contenders. Perhaps more importantly, I've been professionally testing consumer technology for more than a decade now, and have previously trialled the best electric toothbrushes for the Filter. You can read more about the ins and outs of that here. For the most part, the testing process is what you'd expect: using one water flosser after another, and lavishing the kind of attention on my teeth that they usually get only in the panicked hours before a dental checkup to avoid a tongue-lashing (by which I mean a dressing down, not some kind of novel oral treatment). Each flosser was used multiple times, testing the various heads and settings, while making notes on features such as usability, controls and the slightly grim-sounding 'mouth feel'. But there were also more off-the-wall tests to check the manufacturer's specs – such as emptying a full water tank into a measuring cup to verify capacities, and testing power by measuring how far a jet could be fired across a room on a full battery. I wouldn't recommend repeating the latter test – it's not scientific, with each flosser's different heights and jet angles – but if you do insist on following my bad example, don't do it in a carpeted area and ensure pets are safely locked away. Samples were requested directly from manufacturers and retailers, with nine being provided from brands including Oral-B, Panasonic, Ordo, Waterpik and Philips. £99 at AO £84.15 at Amazon Countertop water flossers seem to be going out of style, and I could get hold of only one for our roundup. The Ultra Professional is a reminder of why this isn't necessarily a good thing, providing not only the largest tank around but also the kind of flexibility its cordless brethren could only dream of. Why we love itUnlike cordless models, the water reservoir remains on your countertop at all times. That makes it easier to move the nozzle around your mouth and ensures the easy-to-fill tank's 650ml of water is accessible at all times, no matter the angle from which you're attacking your teeth. Too often with cordless models, I found a half-full tank turned to a dribble when spraying the backs of my lower teeth – that was never a problem here. On top of that, it has 10 pressure settings increasing from 10PSI to 100PSI (pounds per square inch, a common measure of pressure), so you can choose what works for you. A generous number of heads (seven) are included, with three standard jet tips, one plaque seeker, another for orthodontics, a Pik Pocket and a toothbrush. There are drawbacks to the countertop design. Obviously, it's not travel-friendly (11.9 x 9.7 x 26.3cm WDH), and giants like me will have to stoop to use it. However, if you have the space, it's an easy recommendation. It's a shame that … it's a permanent resident on your countertop. Tank size: 650mlHeads: seven: jet (x3), plaque seeker, orthodontic, Pik Pocket, toothbrushPressure: 10-100PSIWaterproof: not statedCharging: not applicable £21.99 at Amazon While most cordless water flossers sit in the £60 to £120 range, Operan comes in at a fraction of that, while still achieving excellent results. Why we love itFrom the suspiciously low pricing, I was sure there would be something to complain about with the Cordless Oral Irrigator. But mouthful of a name aside, there really isn't. It's easy to hold and has four noticeably different power settings, with a pleasant pulsing stream. It's also quite effective when turned upside down, thanks to the generous 300ml tank and floating ball on the end of the reservoir tube (it's not perfect, though, so it's worth tackling the back of your teeth first, while the tank is full). There are four tips in the box, including one for orthodontics and another for tongue scraping. The cherry on the cake? It has a water resistance rating of IPX7, so you can use it in the shower, if you like. It's a shame that … some customers report reliability problems, although I had no issues. Tank size: 300mlHeads: four: jet, periodontal, orthodontic, tongue scraperPressure: 40-120PSIWaterproof: IPX7Charging: USB-C £69.99 at John Lewis£119.99 at Boots The best of the cordless bunch is the Philips Sonicare Cordless 3000. It offers a great combination of design, power and capacity, although it's not ideal for those with orthodontics or periodontal pockets as it comes with just two tips. Why we love itThe main thing that sets the Sonicare Cordless 3000 apart is its special Quad Stream tip, which fires water in four directions at once. While that might be bad news if you accidentally turn it on outside your mouth, it provides good, powerful coverage across multiple teeth and gum areas at the same time as a result. It also comes with a standard jet tip for a more intense stream, and both provide a decent amount of power. While Philips doesn't list a PSI figure, in my unscientific laminate-soaking distance test, it landed in the top half, and it feels like it provides a good level of pressure in the mouth, too. More importantly, it comes with a 'deep clean' setting with a more thorough pulsing jet of water. The water tank holds a decent 250ml, and is transparent so you can easily keep an eye on how much is left. One thing to note, however, is the charging method: my unit came with a bespoke power cable, but other versions pack USB-C. Philips's PR confirmed that they're otherwise identical, but USB-C is undoubtedly more handy if you lose the original cable. It's a shame that … it comes with only two tips. Tank size: 250mlHeads: two: Quad Stream, jetPressure: not statedWaterproof: not statedCharging: USB-C/figure 8 £45.50 at Pharmacy2U£49.99 at Debenhams Best for: sensitive gums The Aquacare Pro Expert Series 6 is far from perfect. For one thing, if you find it at its RRP of £150, it's pricey – although you're unlikely to pay that in practice. Even more importantly, it has the smallest tank of the lot at 150ml. It also feels underpowered, with even the 'intense' setting feeling nowhere near as powerful as its rivals. For sensitive gums and teeth, though, that possible weak spot becomes a virtue. It certainly offers a comfortable experience with the Oxyjet heads, which claim to add microbubbles for a deeper clean. These provide two types of stream via a manual switch: the rotational option gently massages the gums, while the more traditional targeted stream fires in one direction. There's also a standard jet tip for more power – but again, if you're after power, you've come to the wrong place. It didn't make the final cut because … the tank is the smallest of the lot. Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Tank size: 150mlHeads: three: jet, Oxyjet (x2)Pressure: not statedWaterproof: not statedCharging: charging stand (two-pin plug) £39.99 at Pharmacy2UFrom £39.99 at Amazon Best for: raw power With an official rating of 160PSI, the Hydro Sonic officially provides a third more power than its rivals, which is great if your gums can handle the force. The travel lock is also handy to avoid a soggy bag, should you forget to empty the tank. With an RRP of £60, it's also competitively priced, though it's undoubtedly a basic solution, with only three power settings, no automatic pulse option, and just two jet tips in the box. The design, while distinctive and available in various cheerful colours, makes it difficult to tell how much water is left in the tank at a glance. It also sometimes struggles when turned upside down to tackle the backs of your teeth. It didn't make the final cut because … it's somewhat basic in its functionality. Tank size: 260mlHeads: two: jet (x2)Pressure: 80-160PSIWaterproof: IPX7Charging: USB-C £84 at Spotlight Best for: capacity If you want a cordless flosser with a generous water capacity, then the Spotlight is top of the tree, holding a massive 400ml in its bulbous tank. Unlike other cordless models, it means you can use it over multiple sessions – and there's a built-in UV light setting to sterilise the water, if you don't like the idea of nasties swimming in it. That's something of a gimmick, but it's a nice extra to have in an all-around great water flosser. It is pretty powerful, comes with four different heads, offers three operating modes, and is pretty good at working upside down, thanks to the Hydro Gravity Ball at the end of the reservoir tube. There are two downsides: it charges with a bundled figure-8 charger rather than USB-C, and the water tank has to be unscrewed every time you need to fill it. Given I managed to incorrectly align it a couple of times, that may get messy – but that should at least let you test the IPX7 waterproof rating. It didn't make the final cut because … the tank is a pain to fill, and it uses a figure-8 charger rather than USB-C. Tank size: 400mlHeads: four: jet, orthodontic, periodontal pocket sprinkler, tongue scraperPressure: 60-120PSIWaterproof: IPX7Charging: figure-8 £59.99 at Icy Bear Dental Care Best for: travel Plenty of water flossers include travel cases in the box, but from the selection I tested, only the Icy Bear flosser gets physically smaller when not in use. The body of the flosser slips down into the tank, reducing its size by about a third: clever! This design does come with some drawbacks, however. It's slower to fill than other models, and it can sometimes leak a little – something countered by its IPX7 waterproof rating. The design also requires a long press to turn on and off, which is great to avoid accidental leaks in your bag, but less good when your mouth is rapidly filling with water and you need to breathe without soaking the mirror. It didn't make the final cut because … the pull-out design is not without its problems. Tank size: 200mlHeads: four: jet, orthodontic, periodontal, tongue scraperPressure: not statedWaterproof: IPX7Charging: USB-C Part of the appeal of water flossers is how simple they are to use: just fill the tank, and then work the flosser along the gumline, spraying between the teeth. You may find your flosser comes with different attachments that require an adjusted technique, but that's the basic operation. Dr Flavio Pisani, a senior clinical lecturer at the University of Lancashire's School of Medicine and Dentistry, recommends intermittent spraying, and some flossers have this pulsing action as a built-in setting. 'It should be an alternate flowing and oozing that makes the power efficient,' he says. Otherwise, you could 'just get your mouth full of water without any effect'. Some people like to add a little mouthwash to the water, but Pisani says the evidence doesn't support this as being any more effective. 'I think it's really only going to make people feel fresher,' says Dr Sam Jethwa, president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. 'It's more just a freshness of the mouth thing rather than any other benefit.' From speaking to several dentists, the consensus is that water flossers aren't a replacement for mechanical flossing, but they have their place. They are, as Caitlin Miller, head of dental hygiene and therapy at Bupa Dental Care UK, told me while I was testing toothbrushes, 'better than nothing' for patients who won't use floss or interdental brushes. Jethwa agrees. 'The example I give patients is a boat sitting in a dock for a long time – it's got algae on the bottom. Get a hose pipe to try to get it off, it's not going to do anything. You need the water, but you need the mechanical movement there,' he says. 'So I wouldn't say that they're a replacement for floss. It may be better to use a water flosser if you're not using anything.' Pisani is open to water flossers' potential, but says there is 'not strong evidence' of their efficacy compared with traditional interdental cleaning. 'There's recent evidence from a study over four weeks of using water flossers compared to TePe brushes, and the [results] are quite similar,' he says. But there's a catch: 'The problem is that this study was not giving the group using interdental brushes the size that fit their teeth.' Hopefully, further study will reveal more, but don't expect anything overnight. 'We have reached a consensus about electric toothbrushes, but bear in mind they've been available since the 1980s,' Pisani continues. 'We found the evidence about the better use of electric toothbrushes about 10 years ago.' For now, Pisani doesn't recommend seeing water flossers as an outright replacement, but insists that interdental cleaning is crucial. 'I tell my students and patients that if I were sent to a desert island with only one tool, I would definitely bring my TePe [interdental brushes] with me, rather than a toothbrush, because gum disease starts in between teeth or in between implants.' 'If a water flosser encourages people who are doing very little in addition to brushing to do something, then it's a good thing,' says Jethwa. 'But what I wouldn't encourage is for people who are flossing well, using interdental brushes and achieving good oral hygiene to think that this is an easier way of achieving the same thing.' Since most water flossers do the same thing, it's worth focusing on the differences. For example, tank size is important. If you're doing a thorough clean, then some of the smaller capacities won't be enough. Yet this directly plays off against usability and portability, so it's a balancing act. Power sometimes turns up in the specifications under PSI – or pounds per square inch. While a higher pressure may be more effective at pushing out debris, it can prove uncomfortable, especially on sensitive mouths, so the flexibility of power is arguably more important than the raw PSI figure. If you're looking at a cordless model, as most of the ones in this guide are, it's also worth considering how they're charged. Some power up using USB-C, which is undoubtedly more convenient than a proprietary lead, as most folk have several cables lying around. Finally, some people like to floss while in the shower. If that's you, then look for one that has IPX7 protection. Alan Martin is a writer who has been putting products, including phones, gaming devices and wearables, through their paces for more than a decade. Since he added dental products to his areas of expertise, his teeth have never been happier
Medscape
4 days ago
- General
- Medscape
HIV Patient's Nose Vanishes in Extreme Itch Disorder
A 35-year-old man presented to the hospital with diffuse oral pain. He reported the pain intensity on a 10-point scale and rated it as '9' on the maxillary right and an '8' on the mandibular left. His medical history included HIV infection and chronic misuse of unidentified drugs for pain relief. During the physical examination, the patient reported experiencing tactile hallucinations, often described as itching or the sensation of insects crawling, which caused him to constantly scratch his nose. The case reported by Michele White, DDS, an associate professor of restorative dentistry at the University of Texas Health Houston School of Dentistry, Houston, and colleagues described a rare case of excessive destruction of the nasal septum due to differentially diagnosed formication and physical effects of methamphetamine use. The Patient and His History The patient presented to the dental urgent care clinic with a chief complaint of generalised oral pain of 8 and 9 on a 10-point scale 3 weeks prior. The patient's medical history included an HIV infection diagnosed 10 years ago and treated with poor HIV medication compliance over the past 5 years, as well as a history of drug and pain medication abuse. The patient reported regularly taking more than 10 extra-strength paracetamol tablets and 10 ibuprofen tablets daily for pain relief. He also stated that he may have hepatitis B. The patient was unaware of his CD4 T-cell count and HIV medication. Other family, medication, allergy, social, drug, and travel histories did not provide any relevant information. Findings and Diagnosis On admission, the patient's vital signs were as follows: Blood pressure, 144/90 mm Hg; pulse rate, 74 beats/min; respiratory rate, 26 breaths/min; and temperature, 38.3 °C. A clinical oral examination confirmed several decayed teeth with severe caries and missing teeth. His skin was dry and discoloured. Further examination revealed a deviated nasal septum and formication lesions on both arms, face, and nose. The destruction, deviation, and loss of the outer end of the nasal septum appeared to be due to excessive scratching and differentially diagnosed delusions of parasitosis. Dental intervention was not possible because of the financial constraints. Furthermore, surgery was considered risky due to his unclear medical history. 'The dental urgent care clinic at our institution attends to persons with urgent dental needs. However, patients present with comorbid medical conditions that may affect the ability to safely receive dental care at that time and, consequently, require medical consultation,' the authors wrote. Because the patients are not patients of record, many of them are lost to follow-up, as this patient was. The treating dental providers chose not to proceed with treatment and opted for referral to the local county hospital, where the patient could be provided dental treatment with medical support. The patient was lost to follow-up. Discussion 'Many healthcare providers, including family physicians, general dentists, med-peds, ear nose and throat, emergency room physicians, and ophthalmologists, are well positioned to recognise and report orofacial perforations and other possible associated signs of cocaine and methamphetamine abuse such as cardiovascular effects. This is important to assist patients in making appropriate referrals that aim to optimise patients' healthcare. Goals should be to establish or support patients by seeing their medical or dental providers regularly, rather than through an urgent care clinic setting,' the authors concluded.
CNA
5 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Can you reverse tooth decay? Here's what dental experts say
Most of us know that the best defence against tooth decay – or damage to the surface, or enamel, of your teeth – is to limit sugary foods and to brush and floss regularly. But once that damage has begun, or even progressed into a cavity, can you reverse it? Online advertisements for products like cavity-undoing chewing gums and enamel-rebuilding toothpastes and tooth powders suggest that you can. We asked experts if they work, and if it's possible to backtrack on tooth decay in the first place. HOW DOES TOOTH DECAY HAPPEN? Your mouth is home to both good and bad bacteria, which adhere to your teeth in a sticky layer called plaque. The bad bacteria love to snack on sugary, starchy foods – like sweetened sodas, gummy candies, pastries and fruit juices – and then turn them into acids that, over time, may pull important minerals from your teeth. The more these bad bacteria eat, the more acids they produce that dissolve essential minerals like calcium and phosphate, said John Featherstone, a professor emeritus of preventive and restorative dental sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry. This dissolution is called demineralisation, Dr Featherstone said, and it can weaken your enamel over months to years until it eventually caves in and forms a cavity. How quickly this damage, or tooth decay, develops depends mostly on how much of these starchy, sugary foods you consume and how well you clean your teeth, he said. CAN YOU REVERSE TOOTH DECAY? Tooth decay is technically reversible, but only if it is caught early, said Dr Margherita Fontana, a researcher and professor of cariology at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. During the earliest stage of tooth decay, when some minerals have been lost just below the tooth's surface but a cavity has not yet formed, you (or more likely, your dentist) might notice a white – or sometimes brown or black – spot on your tooth, Dr Fontana said. At this point, you can reverse tooth decay by adding those important minerals back into your teeth – a process called remineralisation, said Dr Yasmi O Crystal, an adjunct clinical professor of paediatric dentistry at the NYU College of Dentistry. Your saliva, which contains calcium and phosphate, naturally remineralises your teeth all the time, such as after eating a sugary snack, Dr Crystal said. But because most of us eat many foods that bad bacteria like, we can't depend on saliva alone to prevent or reverse decay, Dr Featherstone said. The easiest, cheapest and most effective way to support remineralisation is to brush your teeth with toothpaste that contains fluoride, Dr Crystal said. Fluoride not only reduces the amount of acid that bad bacteria produce, but it also helps saliva to more effectively replenish your teeth with lost minerals by attracting calcium and phosphate to them, Dr Crystal said. The fluoride found in most drinking water also bolsters this process, Dr Fontana said, especially when paired with fluoride toothpaste. This cavity-fighting duo is enough to reverse early tooth decay in most people, the experts said. But some, like those more prone to decay because they produce less saliva (such as smokers, older adults, postmenopausal women and people taking certain medications), may benefit from more concentrated fluoride products. These include prescription-strength fluoride toothpastes, as well as mouth rinses, varnishes and gels that dentists may apply during a visit or prescribe to use at home. Chewing sugar-free gum, in addition to your regular oral hygiene routine, may also help reverse early tooth decay, Dr Featherstone said. Chewing produces saliva that, according to the American Dental Association, contains even more enamel-building minerals than the saliva your mouth makes without stimulation from food. Gum may also prevent tooth decay by removing food particles from your teeth, Dr Fontana said. Once tooth decay has caused a cavity, however, you can't reverse it and the cavity should be filled, Dr Crystal said. But you can stop a cavity from getting worse, said Dr Domenick T Zero, a professor at the Indiana University School of Dentistry. Regular dental cleanings and proper oral hygiene – brushing for at least two minutes twice a day and flossing once a day – will keep cavity-causing bacteria out of the hole and prevent it from building up on your teeth, he said. DO THOSE SPECIAL PRODUCTS WORK? Some limited research has suggested that some ingredients like xylitol and hydroxyapatite in products like remineralising tooth powders, toothpastes and chewing gums may help reverse tooth decay by adding minerals back to your teeth. However, all of the experts we spoke with said there wasn't enough evidence to show that they're more effective at reversing decay than fluoride, or that they work at all. Among the handful of small clinical trials that have looked into hydroxyapatite toothpastes, for instance, at least two were funded by the product manufacturers. Dr Fontana also said that these products had been tested mostly on people who are not prone to cavities, so it's challenging to know how effective they may be for people who actually develop tooth decay. 'No one has shown that any of these products come even close to what fluoride toothpaste does,' she said. As with many products you see advertised on social media, if they seem too good to be true, they probably are, Dr Crystal said – 'there are no shortcuts.'
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Proposed NI dentist funding 'disappointing'
The British Dental Association (BDA) has said the very survival of health service dentistry depends on radical transformation, but proposals announced by the health minister are "not it".On Wednesday Mike Nesbitt provided details of a £7m investment in General Dental Services for 2025/ Chair of Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee has said dentists were "hoping for more" following the proposed dental Gallagher added she understood the budgetary constraints that Mike Nesbitt is working under but she is "disappointed" for patients and colleagues. Nesbitt also announced the expansion of the Happy Smiles health minister stated: "Alongside these specific interventions, I am clear that the General Dental Services, as with other services, require sustained effort to ensure sustainability over the longer term."My department is committed to advancing work on the long-term future of dental services, to ensure patients can continue to access care when they need it, whilst taking measures to ensure the service is sustainable."I have approved the commissioning of a General Dental Services cost of service review to be completed in 2025/26. This will in turn provide a robust evidence base to inform how the service will develop over the coming years." Ms Gallagher said the funding is "largely a continuation" of measures that are already in place and it will make it "even more difficulties for patients to access care"."That's why we cannot recommend these proposals as they stand to the profession," she said. "We urgently need radical transformation of dental services here, but this isn't it. Despite the efforts of the minister, our question to the Executive is how can dentistry be transformed with such a constrained health budget?" Dental contract 'not fit for purpose' The BDA has called for immediate short-term 'bridging' support for dental practices as a lifeline to cover follows a meeting with the health minister who outlined his department's proposals for 25/26 to BDA representatives, following a debate on access to dentistry in Stormont on 27 BDA said that the "consensus is that the current dental contract isn't fit for purpose and in some instances fails to cover costs". Last month, BBC News NI learned that dentists in Northern Ireland had removed more than 53,000 NHS patients from their practice lists over the past two 2023 and 2024, 114 dentists handed back their NHS contracts to the Department of Health (DoH), with many of these now doing private work of the 360 dental practices in Northern Ireland, only two are now fully NHS.
