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Scope of practice

The General Dental Council's Scope of practice review: the perspective of a dental hygienist/therapist

British Dental Journal volume 235, pages 119–120 (2023)Cite this article

Key points

  • BSDHT and BADT cautiously welcome the GDC's Scope of practice review because it promotes autonomous working for dental hygienist and dental therapist registrants.

  • Our perspective is that the Scope of practice review document offers potential for the individual to work safely to their fullest potential without fear of reprimand.

  • This perspective considers that significant tasks have been overlooked and an opportunity to encourage postgraduate education for all oral health care team members has been missed.

Debbie Hemington qualified as a dental therapist in 1983 and a dental hygienist in 1987. She works clinically in a mixed practice in Kent and as a tutor at the Eastman Dental Hospital Education Centre in London. She is currently President of the British Association of Dental Therapists, having completed four years as Chair.

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References

  1. General Dental Council. Scope of Practice. 2013. Available at https://www.gdc-uk.org/standards-guidance/standards-and-guidance/scope-of-practice (accessed May 2023).

  2. General Dental Council. Scope of Practice Review. 2020. Available at https://www.gdc-uk.org/about-us/what-we-do/research/our-research-library/detail/report/scope-of-practice-review (accessed May 2023).

  3. Health Education England. Advancing Dental Care Review: Final Report. 2021. Available at https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/advancing-dental-care (accessed May 2023).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. President, British Association of Dental Therapists, United Kingdom

    Debbie Hemington

  2. President, British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, United Kingdom

    Miranda Steeples

Authors
  1. Debbie Hemington
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  2. Miranda Steeples
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Debbie Hemington or Miranda Steeples.

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Hemington, D., Steeples, M. The General Dental Council's Scope of practice review: the perspective of a dental hygienist/therapist. Br Dent J 235, 119–120 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-6057-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-023-6057-5

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