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A global review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists

British Dental Journal volume 230, pages 533–538 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction With ongoing needs in oral healthcare being unmet, dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists have the potential to assume greater roles and responsibilities in the provision of care. This review provides a global overview of the education and career opportunities of these professions, contributing to the discussion on the future trajectories of all three professions.

Methods A scoping review was conducted to collate and summarise the current available evidence from peer-reviewed journal articles, published reports and books, and websites of professional associations and government agencies.

Results Of the 145 sources identified and reviewed, 53 were included in the qualitative synthesis. The themes were categorised into domains: 1) dental therapy; 2) dental hygiene; and 3) oral health therapy.

Conclusion The results of this review indicated that, although there has been continuous advocacy for dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists to assume roles beyond the traditional clinical practice, the majority of the professionals still mainly practise as clinicians. Many dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists felt limited by their scope of practice and were dissatisfied with the lack of career pathways. Additional research is needed to examine the influences behind career development for all three professions.

Key points

  • Dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists serve as primary oral healthcare providers and work collaboratively with dentists and other healthcare professionals.

  • Dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists have the potential to pursue a career beyond clinical practice in areas such as research, education and government.

  • Additional research is needed to explore if dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists have the desire to pursue non-clinical careers and the benefits of non-clinical careers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Sydney School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Health, 2–18 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, New South Wales 2010, Australia

    Dennis Chen

  2. University of Sydney, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Camperdown, New South Wales 2006, Australia

    Melanie Hayes

  3. University of Sydney School of Dentistry, Discipline of Population Oral Health, 1 Mons Road, Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales 2145, Australia

    Alexander Holden

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  1. Dennis Chen
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Correspondence to Dennis Chen.

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Chen, D., Hayes, M. & Holden, A. A global review of the education and career pathways of dental therapists, dental hygienists and oral health therapists. Br Dent J 230, 533–538 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-021-2836-z

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