As we move into 2026, Cat Edney evaluates the state of modern dental therapy – from increasing opportunities to the best courses and training available.
If you’d asked me 10 years ago whether dental therapy would be having the moment it is now, I’m not sure I’d have answered with quite the confidence I feel today. Yet here we are in 2026, at a point where the landscape for dental therapists has shifted so noticeably that it feels less like incremental change and more like a genuine turning point.
For years, dental therapy sat in a space of huge potential but inconsistent implementation. Scope existed on paper, but not always in practice. Confidence was variable, support patchy, and opportunities depended heavily on postcode, practice culture, or whether someone was willing to ‘take a chance’ on a therapist-led model. What feels different now is that the conversation has moved on. Skills mix is no longer theoretical: it’s operational.
Much of this momentum has come from leadership willing to challenge traditional structures. England’s chief dental officer Jason Wong has been championing skill mix within the NHS. He is an instrumental voice in reframing how dental therapists are viewed, not as a bolt-on or compromise, but as an essential part of delivering sustainable, patient-centred care.
The therapy-led mindset
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