The British Dental Association (BDA) has written to the Secretary of State for Health to urge him to reconsider the decision to abolish the Standing Dental Advisory Committee (SDAC). The letter from BDA Executive Board Chair Susie Sanderson voices the BDA's "deep concern" at the decision, particularly in light of overwhelming support for the continuation and strengthening of the committee in responses to the consultation on the issue.

Dr Sanderson said:

"We believe the decision to abolish the Standing Dental Advisory Committee to be a misguided one that goes against a strong consensus of opinion across different branches of the profession. The committee offered an effective method of canvassing the whole spectrum of the profession including those on the frontline of patient care. One of the key principles of the NHS Next Stage Review is the promotion of a quality service developed with full professional engagement. This decision appears to be contrary to that principle.

"We urge the Secretary of State to reconsider the decision and guarantee the future of a committee that is an invaluable source of expert consensus in dentistry."

The letter from Dr Sanderson to the Secretary of State can be accessed here.

The Standing Dental Advisory Committee was established in the NHS Act 1946 and set up in 1949 as one of nine bodies to advise on matters relating to services provided under the act. The remit of the committee is to advise the Secretary of State on matters relating to the services with which the committee is concerned as it sees fit as well as questions referred to them by the Secretary of State.

1. Details of the Consultation on the future of SDAC are available here.

2. The British Dental Association (BDA) is the professional association for dentists in the UK. It represents over 20,000 dentists working in general practice, in community and hospital settings, in academia and research, and in the armed forces.

British Dental Association