National evaluation of personal dental services: a qualitative investigation into patients' perceptions of dental services

In 2001, qualitative research was carried out to investigate patients' views on dental services, in particular personal dental services. This article outlines the main themes to emerge from these interviews. Before outlining the key themes, it is important to describe the background to the study. Prior to 1997, NHS general dental services could only be delivered by general dental practitioners via a national contract with a nationally negotiated scale of fees. The NHS (Primary Care) Act 1997 allowed for the voluntary establishment of pilot schemes to test alternative ways of delivering dental services, in particular general dental services, through local contracting arrangements.(1)