Braces 'to be rationed on the NHS'

Children face long waits for a brace

The number of children receiving free orthodontic work on the NHS is to be slashed, say specialists.

They warn half the children currently treated would have to go private - which could mean a charge £2,000 or more to save their teeth.

Last year, 100,000 children received orthodontic treatment.

Under the new system, proposed by the Department of Health, only those children with the worst problems would be eligible for free NHS treatment.

This is rationing. There is no doubt about it

Tim Polaroid,
British Orthodontic Society

The plans were first put forward in November in a government document, Modernising Orthodontic Services.

The system ranks cases on a scale from one to five, with one being the mildest and five being the most serious.

Only those scoring four to five would be treated on the NHS.

Tim Pollard of the British Orthodontist Society (BOS) warned the move would take children's dentistry back decades.

Rise in demand

There has been a huge rise in the amount of orthodontic work carried out over recent years, which has doubled since the 1990s.

Mr Pollard told BBC News Online: "This is rationing. There is no doubt about it.

"Children who don't receive treatment are going to be upset."

Those who had suffered the worst health problems, such as buck teeth which protrude a long way, and which could be knocked out, would be treated.

But orthodontic treatment can also give children a healthy bite, straight teeth and an attractive smile, said Mr Pollard.

In addition to improving children's confidence, straight teeth make cleaning easier which helps to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.

But Mr Pollard, chairman of the BOS specialist practitioners' group, told the Daily Mail: "We all know goofy kids are teased at school and having straight teeth is important for their psychological needs."

Mike Stone, director of the Patients Association, told BBC News Online; "It's all about rationing.

"It's right to treat those in most need, but at the same time, you have to look at the psychological effect of having crooked teeth on children."

Shortage

The UK has a fifth the number of orthodontists in relation to the number of children than France and Germany.

The BOS has called for an increase in the number of training places for orthodontists to tackle the problem.

Last month it emerged children are waiting up to four years to get braces for their teeth because of a shortage of NHS dentists.

In the east Midlands town of Northampton, 2000 children are waiting for treatment as there are only four dentists who specialise in fitting braces.

Orthodontists are also angry about a proposed reduction in fees.

They currently receive £762 in NHS fees for fitting a brace and monitoring the patient for the following two years.

But the fee of £80 for the fitting of a temporary brace before the fixed brace is fitted will be cut, and just £20 paid to the lab technician who makes it.

Mr Pollard said: "We have the same argument as the GPs last week. It is about money so we can provide better health care."

And he said the public needed to be aware of the plans - and warned if specialists hadn't spoken out, people would only have found out about the restrictions when they took their child for treatment.

A spokesman for the Department of Health confirmed there were plans to reform the way orthodontic treatment was delivered.

He said negotiations were still taking place over the proposals.

He said: "It's prioritising those who need it the most and making sure they get it fast."

He denied the plans were about making savings.