Study suggests oral screening is a role for dental hygienists
A new study suggesting that dental hygienists and therapists should be used to screen for dental caries and periodontal disease, as they are just as effective as general dental practitioners, has recently been revealed.
The report, which is titled The Efficacy of Screening for Common Dental Diseased by Hygiene-Therapists a Diagnostic Test Accuracy Study, has significant implications for skill mix within practices such as the NHS, as well as providing the opportunity to improve the distribution of primary dental healthcare.
Lead author of the report Richard Macey, a research assistant at Manchester’s School of Dentistry, explained the research, stating that ‘researchers here at the School of Dentistry have been examining whether dental care professionals (DCPs) can screen for common oral disorders’.
The study, which consisted of 1,899 healthy patients in 10 dental practices throughout the north west of England, found that dental hygienists and therapists, when giving screening assessments to patients, had results which were comparable to general dental practitioners, showing that dental hygienists and therapists can screen for two major dental diseases.
The results have been welcomed by Fiona Sandom, the president of the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT). Sandom sees it as a significant step towards a more efficient use of the skill mix of the dental team, saying that ‘our association finds the results of this study encouraging and we view it as further evidence to support delegation within the dental team. The research confirms that dental hygienists and therapists have key parts to play in the future delivery of dental care within the UK’.
Further research into exploring the cost effectiveness of using dental care professionals in this way is occurring, and a separate grant awarded under the Health Services and Delivery Research scheme is examining the productivity of team dentistry under the current contractual regulations.
