To be concerned about further dilution (dumbing down) of clinical care?

[arrogantorwhat37]

Another 'profession' allowing itself to be diluted

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/dental-team/roles-dental-team/dental-therapist

Very soon we will return to the days where barber surgeons provided 2 services

It really isn't dilution or dumbing down. Finally the NHS dental services are utilising Dental Therapists to do the job they have been specifically (and highly) trained to do. You do know they have a degree in this stuff, don't you?

@boniobiscuit Hi, yes, I do realise they require a degree
But it is still a dilution of a profession...

I don’t understand why it’s not a positive step, tbh. There’s been a shortage of nhs dental appointment for years. If the therapists can do the jobs as well, surely it frees up the dentists to carry on more complicated work.

Personally I'm a bit more glass full than empty and see it as an expansion ( although not a new one at all) of the profession. Same in medicine with nurse practitioners.

On the info you posted, a diploma is required.
I still don’t see anything wrong with it at all.

I thought of nurse practitioners too

I think it's a great idea. 80% of my dental checkups could be done by a dental therapist with no issues, referring on to a dentist if necessary.

I think you have got yourself in a bit of a twist due to a misunderstanding of the information

Dental therapists are not a new role, the first in the U.K. qualified in the 1950s.

wow what an ignorant comment. People love to nurse bash at every opportunity. You do realise Nurse Practitioners are highly trained and experienced.

It's about time we looked at what really needs to be done by certain professions. Many nurses are still lamenting the loss of SRN's!
We have OT Techs, Physio Techs etc who do vital work with less complex patients. It's the only way to move forward IMO.

I’d be happy with a dental therapist doing my check ups

I think that you are missing the point point, nurse practitioners are highly trained … as are dental therapists in their field.
I don’t think a single post was nurse bashing.

It's more efficient to have less demanding work carried out by less qualified people. I wouldn't have a problem with a dental therapist doing a check up either - they will refer on to/call in the dentist if they need assistance, surely.

When I go for an eye test, a technician does the technical bits and frees up time for the optometrist to do their bit. It's no different.

And it also makes sense for nurse and paramedic practitioners to see patients in primary care and do prescriptions for "easier" conditions. I think a lot of the time they are better - less cynical!

I have zero problems with this. Dental therapist is a profession.

i see a paramedic practitioner at our practice. I had to attend a few sessions close together recently. In all the years I’d been going to my GP, she’s the best I’ve come across. She took me seriously, referred me quickly, etc. She’s just ace

I think you mean SENs, State Enrolled Nurses, who did 2 years training.
State Registered Nurses are now titled Registered Nurses, most of whom do a degree, although they have opened up less academic routes in.
The SRN went out several years ago, altho some still call themselves SRNs

I don't object. I recently found out physician associates exist in the UK! I think these must sit below nurse practitioners, as they are not able to prescribe. I think shorter routes into healthcare are great for people looking for a career change and will hopefully go some way to addressing staffing shortages.

Extraction? That’s complex, isn’t it?

HEE have just announced medicine apprenticeships for people who can't get into medicine by traditional means. Not sure how long the training is but should certainly help with shortage of doctors.

husband and I haven’t been able to sign on with an NHS dentist for several years. We’d be delighted to see a nurse practitioner.

Totally missing the point but that link contains a very unfortunate hyphenation which confused me for a moment...

Unless it's changed very recently its only baby teeth they can extract.
Plus they cannot fit permanent adult crowns. Only stainless steel crowns on baby teeth or temporary fixes of adult crowns.
That link doesn't have great facts.