Request

Hello, please could you provide me information on the governance of dental practice management softwares? Who regulates and sets the criteria that the softwares must abide by to be used in an NHS dental practice? Also if it is the NHSBSA, please may you provide me the criteria the softwares must meet to be viable for use in NHS dental practices. Thank you

Response

I am writing to advise you that following a search of our paper and electronic records, I have established that the information you requested is not held by the NHS Business Services Authority. This is because the software mentioned in your request is not provided by the NHS. It is a free market and there are approximately 20 suppliers. Dental Practices select and purchase the product they prefer.

There will be various organisations with requirements that clinicians and NHS providers need to comply with, which require software suppliers to take note of in order to provide products that meet the needs of their customers.

Dentists will also have various regulators to consider, such as, The General Dental Council (GDC) and ICO. However, it would be the dental provider’s responsibility for ensuring they comply with all the regulatory and professional standards and requirements placed on them, and to select systems that support them in this.

Please note that this response will be published on our Freedom of Information disclosure log at:

https://opendata.nhsbsa.net/dataset/foi-22291