I am a current Dental Core Trainee (DCT) in Paediatrics in Sheffield. I spend the majority of my time in Charles Clifford Dental Hospital. Every morning at 8:50 am we have a team brief in the paediatric clinic which is very similar to 'Sign In' for theatre. It is vital to plan for the next week especially when you have a theatre session. This is a quick summary of a typical week in my life.
Monday mornings are usually spent on the new patient clinic. This entails referrals from practice or other departments, due to complex treatment, behavioural or medical needs. History taking, alongside clinical examination, lets you gauge initial compliance, which is often a good indicator of what treatment modality the patient will be best suited to, such as inhalation sedation or general anaesthetic for those who exhibit signs of dental anxiety. We then present the history and examination findings to the consultant, who discusses the options for radiographs with us. The consultants do this as a learning exercise. It was strange going from practice, treating patients independently, compared to secondary care where the patients are under the Consultant's care. Once radiographs have been taken and the treatment plan has been decided with the parent, it's the DCT's job to dictate the letter to the referring GDP or healthcare worker, whilst copying the parents. This is a medico-legal requirement.
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