Article
As we eagerly await the General Dental Council's next iteration of their Scope of Practice guidance, we reflect on the importance of clarity of ‘Scope’.1 It is often mentioned that no other professional registrant groups have such defined scopes of practice, so why is dentistry different?
Each registrant group has particular tasks that are assigned to them with a view to promoting the use of the training and skills of all of the team members to optimise outcomes for patients. A dentist may not always be the most appropriate professional to see an individual – it may not be necessary, a task could be delegated, or a patient may choose to see an individual of their preference via direct access.
Most people appreciate what a dentist does. This is likely to be because dentists are the oral healthcare professionals with whom individuals will most regularly engage. But what of the other dental registrant groups? What if a patient is advised to see a clinical dental technician for a full set of dentures, or a dental therapist for their restoration, or a dental nurse to take impressions for them? This may come as a surprise because typically the dentist will have done all of these things for them in the past.
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