Peter Crooks returns as head of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee

Peter Crooks has been re-elected as Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee (NI DPC). He was re-elected unopposed. Peter has previously served two terms on NI DPC between 2010 and 2015.

Peter qualified from Queen’s University, Belfast in 1983, is a general dental practitioner and has owned his practice in Ballymena since 1987. Peter has had a long career in dental politics and was the Chair of the Northern Local Dental Committee for three years.

Accepting his new position Peter Crooks said: “It is a huge honour to be elected to serve again as Chair of the Northern Ireland Dental Practice Committee.

“This is a crucial time for dentistry in Northern Ireland with practices under significant financial pressures and ever increasing regulatory burdens. As a committee we will continue to push for better resources and provide strong leadership to meet the challenges that face the profession.

“We are particularly concerned about the way dental practice is regulated and NI DPC will continue to challenge whether the annual onsite inspections by RQIA are proportionate.

“We will continue to make the case for a pay award that reflects the true cost of running a practice and takes into account the steep rise in expenses and the impact this has on our ability to provide quality care to our patients.

“Negotiations on a new contract will continue and we will work with the Department to secure our commitment to the development and introduction of a new dental contract tailored to the needs of patients, practices and staff.”