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Dental Working Hours, Scotland - 2010-11 and 2011-12, Experimental statistics
- Publication Date:
- 26 Oct 2012
- Date Range:
- 01 Apr 2010 to 31 Mar 2012
Summary
This report provides information on dental working hours for dentists in Scotland in 2010/11 and 2011/12 who performed some NHS activity. Information on average weekly hours, NHS weekly hours, weeks of annual leave and the division of time between NHS and private dentistry, and clinical and non-clinical work, is presented.
The results are presented for Principal Dentists (those who are owners, directors or partners of a dental practice) and for Associate Dentists (those who are self-employed and enter into an agreement with a Principal Dentist, that is neither partnership nor employment).
This report was produced by the Health and Social Care Information Centre and the Dental Working Group. This is the second time that the Health and Social Care Information Centre has produced working hours data for dentists in Scotland and, as such, this report carries the label "Experimental Statistics". Experimental Statistics are new statistics that are undergoing evaluation. We therefore welcome comments on this report.
Highlights
- Overall, GDS dentists (full and part-time) reported working an average of 37.9 hours per week in dentistry, of which 30.2 hours (79.7 per cent) were devoted to NHS dental services. The remainder, 20.3 per cent, was accounted for by private dentistry.
- On average, Principal Dentists worked more weekly hours (41.7 hours) than Associate Dentists (35.1 hours). Principals reported spending 74.6 per cent of their time on NHS dentistry (31.1 NHS weekly hours); for Associates this measure was 84.1 per cent (29.5 NHS weekly hours).
- Overall, dentists reported that their time spent on dentistry was split 85.5 per cent on clinical work and 14.5 per cent on non-clinical work (which include administrative and management duties).
- Between 2008/09 and 2011/12 there was little change in the average weekly hours of all dentists, however, there was a gradual increase in average NHS weekly hours, as a result of an increase in the proportion of time spent on NHS dentistry. There was less reported change in average annual leave and the split between clinical and non-clinical work.