The last bite (August)

Mixed messages

One of the most distressing, emerging effects of the pandemic is the confusion around mixed messages. Masks or no masks, self-isolation or out and about, quarantine or do as you please? But I can’t help feeling that it extends to media reports of dental care too.

On the one hand every day sees stories on lack of NHS access, long wating lists and even longer patient journeys, not to mention practices closing and early retirement. Whilst on the other there has been a stream of articles detailing how dentists have been busily buying up properties including former nightclubs, grade II listed buildings, banks and other intriguing locations to convert into new practices or extend existing ones.

The effects of the pandemic on retail premises are already very noticeable, with sad empty shop windows punctuating the rows of remaining businesses, but will this new wave of dental entrepreneurs help rejuvenate the high street? Perhaps there is room for the ultimate flip – department store franchises inside dental practices?