The General Dental Council (GDC) has updated its Scope of Practice guidance to reflect recent decisions on direct access and the new Standards for the dental team.
Scope of Practice was first published in 2009 and sets out the skills and abilities which each registrant group should have on qualification; and further skills which registrants in each group may go on to develop during the course of their careers.
The updated version is available on the GDC website and all registrants are urged to download a copy.
Key changes for specific registrant groups include:
Dental nurses
• Amending the wording on the application of fluoride varnish to take account of direct access.
Orthodontic therapists
• The addition of IOTN screening in line with the direct access decision.
Dental hygienists
• Amendments to take account of direct access, including being able to treat patients direct, carrying out clinical examination and diagnosis within their scope of practice
• The inclusion of the care of implants and treatment of peri-implant tissues in core skills.
Dental therapists
• Amendments to take account of direct access, including being able to treat patients direct, carrying out clinical examination and diagnosis within their scope of practice
• Direct restorations now includes secondary teeth.
Dental technicians
• Clarity that dental technicians can see patients direct to repair dentures.
Clinical dental technicians
• The amendment of providing complete dentures direct to patients to include prescribing the dentures
Dentists
• The inclusion of providing non-surgical cosmetic injectables in additional skills.
Registrants must only undertake a task or type of treatment or make decisions about a patient’s care if they are sure they have the necessary skills and are appropriately trained and indemnified.
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