A new approach in dentistry
The role of a Dental Therapist
A growing number of dentists are adding dental therapists to the practice team to handle much of the routine dental work. Many dental therapists provide treatment in a range of places in the community, such as hospitals, schools and care homes, general dental practice, HM Prison service and HM ministry of defence.
Dental therapists are increasingly important members of the dental team and are an important component of future NHS and Private dental care. They work alongside your dentist to plan and deliver your oral care. This teamwork allows the dentist more time to undertake more complex work and therefore utilising the skills of the whole team much more effectively.
The dental therapist can carry out a range of procedures including:
- plan the delivery of care and liaise with/refer to another healthcare professional
- scaling and polishing
- extensive full mouth cleaning (periodontal gum treatment)
- applying materials to teeth such as fluoride and fissure sealants
- taking dental radiographs
- giving infiltration and inferior dental block analgesia
- taking impressions
- providing dental health education on a one-to-one basis or in a group situation
- undertaking routine restorations in both primary (baby) teeth and permanent teeth, on adults and children
- place pre-formed crowns on primary teeth
- extracting primary teeth under local infiltration analgesia
Training and development
The BSc programme in dental therapy is a 3-year course and has replaced many of the diploma programmes. BSc Oral Health Sciences, BSc Oral Dental Sciences, BSc Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy or BSc Dental Therapy are all equivalent qualifications that allow a therapist to practice.
Standard subjects studied include:
- preventive dentistry
- dental health education
- dental pathology
- simple restorative procedures for both deciduous and permanent teeth
- the extraction of deciduous teeth (previously known as baby teeth)
- radiography and pharmacology
For more information about Therapists:
Visiting a dental hygienist or dental therapist – Oral Health Foundation (dentalhealth.org)
or
Who is able to carry out this treatment?
Dental Therapist brochure
