ABSTRACT
It is comparatively easy for a general dental practitioner (GDP) to compare the results of their practice one year with the next, provided they can eliminate the effects of inflation. Industry and commerce have had the benefit for some years of the Centre for Interfirm Comparison, which collects anonymous data from individual companies, processes it and then produces comparative tables. The only data currently available is that collected by the Confederation of Dental Employers and by individual accountants who specialize in dental practice accounting and have a large database of information available. Unfortunately this statistical information is retained for internal use and is available only to the clients of the practices concerned. However, GDPs were apprehensive about providing data, even anonymously, because of fear that it could fall into the hands of the Department of Health.
