Recession hits dentists in the UK

by Penny Palmer, DT United Kingdom

LONDON, UK: The number of dentists seeking financial help in the UK has risen as the credit crunch takes hold, according to the British Dental Association’s Benevolent Fund. Last year, the Fund saw a 50 per cent increase in applications for financial assistance over the previous year, and this rise continued in the first three months of 2009.

More than half of regular beneficiaries live on means-tested benefits, and following a particularly cold winter that required the provision of extra fuel grants, the Fund is appealing for extra donations. The Fund’s expenditure exceeded income by £44,000 (US$71,800) last year, and all indications are that the number of applications will keep on rising.

The Fund, which is wholly dependent on contributions, provides grants to help supplement incomes, cover basic expenses and even replace vital household goods including beds and cookers.

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