By Dr Eugene Bojé
The UK dental sector is facing an unprecedented staffing challenge. NHS dentistry, already under pressure from underfunding and recruitment shortages, is now contending with volatile workforce availability and surging patient demand. The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned of an “existential crisis” for NHS provision, while a 2023 General Dental Council (GDC) survey revealed that more than a quarter of UK dentists are considering reducing their NHS commitments or leaving the profession altogether.
For patients, this translates into longer waits, fewer available appointments, and – in some cases – no access to a dentist at all. For practice managers, it means a daily struggle to fill empty clinical slots, particularly when staff call in sick or patient lists suddenly swell. The reality is that in many surgeries, the problem is not only about recruiting dentists – it is about keeping the chairs occupied day-to-day.
Locum dentists – clinicians brought in on a temporary basis – play a vital role in keeping services running. Yet sourcing reliable, last-minute cover through traditional recruitment agencies can be slow, opaque, and costly. Many recruitment agencies still rely on outdated methods, including manual phone calls, limited out-of-hours options, and a “we’ll see what we can do” approach that leaves dental practices waiting for solutions to their urgent recruitment needs. Without real-time visibility of who is available, practices risk cancelling patients, disrupting continuity of care, and losing income.
Dubbed the “Uber of dental locuming,” Airlocum connects practices directly with verified locum dentists and hygienists in their area. The platform allows managers to log in, browse clinician profiles, check availability and rates, and confirm bookings – often within 15 minutes.
With over 1,300 practices already onboard (a figure that continues to grow month-on-month), Airlocum has rapidly overtaken many traditional agencies in speed, transparency, and cost-effectiveness.
For Suzie Lovick, Operations Manager at Banning Dental Group, the difference has been transformational: “Airlocum has genuinely changed the game for us. It’s not just a platform – it’s a solution shaped around the realities of running a fast-paced dental group. We can see exactly where the usage has been, who has covered the shifts, and the associated spend. We only use Airlocum now.”
The comparison with Uber or Airbnb is more than a marketing tagline. Just as those services replaced phone queues with instant, on-demand access, Airlocum provides real-time control over staffing, clear digital records, and secure communication. This shift not only saves time, but it also reduces the operational risk of cancelled patient sessions.
For locum dentists, the benefits are equally significant. The British Dental Journal notes that flexibility and digital convenience are now among the top career priorities for early-career dental clinicians. Airlocum’s model offers autonomy over work choices, direct negotiation on
rates, and clarity on job details – features that are often absent in the traditional agency process.
In the first half of 2025 alone, Airlocum processed more than 9,500 bookings, with nearly one-third of those being same-day cover requests. The platform is increasingly integrating with other digital systems used by practice groups, from diary management tools to compliance documentation and payroll reporting.
This is where the model’s relevance to the public sector becomes clear. As dentistry moves towards larger, consolidated practice groups – some operating NHS contracts at scale – centralised, tech-enabled management systems are becoming essential. Platforms like Airlocum fit neatly into this infrastructure, offering data insights into staffing trends, cost control, and operational efficiency.
For commissioners and policymakers, the use of innovative recruitment technology in the dental sector demonstrates how real-time staffing models could help reduce missed appointments and patient backlogs across other healthcare settings, while also providing a framework for integrating digital platforms into NHS contractual arrangements to ensure that both urban and rural practices benefit equally.
While dentistry has traditionally lagged behind other healthcare sectors in adopting technology, change is accelerating. From AI-assisted diagnostics to remote treatment planning, digital tools are beginning to reshape both patient care and operational resilience.
Locum-matching platforms are an essential part of this shift. They do not replace clinicians, but they ensure that those clinicians are in the right place, at the right time – when dental practices need them. For patients, that means fewer cancelled appointments and more consistent access to treatment. As NHS dental services are already overstretched, the ability to secure recruitment cover within minutes could mean the difference between keeping a surgery open or closing its doors for the day.
For the public sector, the lesson is clear: when workforce shortages meet patient need, technology can bridge the gap quickly, transparently, and cost-effectively. Where every available appointment slot matters, this innovation may be the key to keeping NHS dentistry accessible for the communities that need it most.
For more information about Airlocum, visit www.airlocum.co.uk
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