Role: Dental Therapist
Book an appointment
Are you waiting for an appointment with your dentist?
Or would you like an appointment sooner?
Are you having difficulty accessing NHS funded treatment?
A direct access appointment with a dental therapist, is a cost-effective way of maintaining your oral health with regular appointments.
You can benefit from direct access to a dental therapist
You can book a private appointment with a dental therapist without having to see a dentist first. This means you save by only having to make one appointment. It is a cost-effective way of accessing a dental examination, routine treatment and oral hygiene services.
Therapists play an important role in dental teams, helping patients to maintain their optimum oral health. With the current shortage of dentists across the country, now is an excellent time for patients to utilise the full scope of their dental therapist’s skills.
A direct access appointment with a therapist, can help you protect your teeth and gums.
A dental therapist’s role
A dental therapist is qualified to carry out an examination on your teeth, gums and the soft tissue of your mouth. Thus helping spot minor concerns before they become problems. Moreover, they can plan and deliver treatment to meet your individual oral health needs.
Therapists have a wide scope of practice that covers straightforward restorative work, and some urgent needs as well as routine oral health treatments. A therapist may carry out: routine and cosmetic dental fillings, extractions of primary teeth, tooth whitening and emergency care for lost and broken teeth and fillings.
One of the duties of dental therapists is to deliver treatment to restore or maintain oral health. Therapy prevents and treats gum disease with scaling, polishing and root care to remove hard deposits and plaque. They may also apply medications and solutions to your mouth and gums. Your therapist may demonstrate correct flossing and brushing, as well as other oral hygiene techniques according to your personal requirements. In addition, they may offer dietary advice and other information, such as how to give up smoking.
Research shows that patients, who regularly visit the hygienist, suffer from fewer dental problems in the long term.
“My husband and I both broke teeth on an extended holiday, and we contacted the surgery by email; we were delighted to be offered appointments with the therapist within days of our return. The therapist was very professional and we are both pleased with the results.”
Additional treatment
If the therapist finds a dental problem outside their scope of practice, we have a system in place to refer you to a dentist for treatment. Only a dentist can fully diagnose some oral conditions and provide a comprehensive treatment plan. At the time of your appointment booking, our reception team will ask screening questions to check your suitability for direct access. However, if the therapist considers a referral to your dentist is necessary, please be advised there is an additional fee for the dentist’s review appointment.
Direct Access offers you flexibility and choice. Whether you are an existing SpaDental patient or a new patient looking for treatment, our receptionists will be happy to supply more information. They can explain more about direct access, provide indicative costs and, if appropriate, make an appointment for you.
If you are not already registered with SpaDental and you are listed at another practice, we will ask your permission to contact them. We will enquire about the recommended frequency of your check-ups and the date of your last full oral health examination with a dentist.
You can enjoy better oral health with regular therapy appointments.
