Most of us hoped that the legal branch of our tree would flourish and bring some cover to our practices. This seems unlikely for now, but not all, not even most, is lost.
What hope is there left? With a legal challenge, we hoped to right the wrongs inflicted on us by the Scottish Government. Not just during the pandemic, but for years. The endless conveyor belt that NHS dentistry has been for decades, now feels akin to the battered, lifeless soil left after the bulldozers rage through an intensive forestry farm that has seen the cheapest, quickest growing trees planted for decades, with absolute disregard to quality, not only of the resulting product but of the necessary ecosystem that surrounds it.
In a day and age where sustainability and not exploiting the ecosystem is everyday talk, the Scottish Government need to stop using dentistry as a commodity where the highest output at the lowest cost is all that matters.
Things can change. We need a sustainable, quality-based dental (eco)system. This will pay off, in the long term, if the Scottish Government is willing to look past short-sighted politics and immediate savings.
Problems for dental practice owners in Scotland didn’t start during the pandemic, and they won’t end after it goes away (and it will go away).
New dental practice owners are faced with tremendous challenges when setting up their business, often with nobody around them to help. Having a support network for those taking their first steps into dental practice ownership could make all the difference in the long term.
Even those owners that have been established for a long time can sometimes feel alone in their challenges. It has been suggested that the SDPO Telegram group is “just a support chat”, but even then, we know this has provided immense value to some owners during this crisis.
When it comes to finances, SDPO is working to obtain membership benefits from different groups and companies and we are already looking at finance related courses for our members. Only dental practice owners can truly understand the financial needs of their businesses.
And, of course, we still believe SDPO deserves a seat at the negotiating table. We represent a highly important stakeholder in Scottish dentistry, and as such we will keep pushing the Scottish Government to consult with us – as per their own regulations. It is the QC’s opinion that this will come as the group becomes more established.
Professional lobbying and PR will also play a role in improving the future for practice owners. No other organisation is willing or able to fulfil this role.
All these branches can – and need to – flourish. They just need care, and time. If we all give a little of it, so some don’t have to give it all, we will have a shelter big enough to cover us all.