With skill mix being hailed as the new way of working for the NHS, does dental therapy really benefit? Or is it a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
On one hand, we are hearing more than ever about prevention, access, workforce pressures, skill mix and reform. Dental therapists are finally being recognised within NHS policy conversations as a vital part of the future workforce. New contractual changes now allow therapists to open and close courses of treatment, prescribe under exemptions legislation and work more independently than ever before.
And yet, many dental therapists still find themselves trapped in repetitive, low autonomy workflows.
Check-up. Scale. Polish. Repeat.
I recently spoke with a dental therapist working predominantly within the NHS system. Like many therapists, he had a strong educational background, excellent clinical potential and a genuine passion for patient care. Yet his diary had become heavily weighted towards examinations and repetitive maintenance appointments, with very little opportunity to develop restorative confidence or expand his clinical role.
This conversation is not unique. In fact, it reflects exactly where many NHS therapists currently find themselves.
The problem is not capability: it’s structure
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