Dentist vs Dental Therapist

A team approach to your dental care

At THE dentist Salisbury we are passionate about providing patients with the best patient journey and experience. We believe this starts before you even come in to see us for your appointments and continues long after you have left.

Over the last few years, the field of dentistry has changed a lot and it now focuses more than ever on a team approach to patient care and wellbeing improving utilisation of a dentist and dental therapist’s time and unique skillsets. With this in mind, your treatment pathway may begin or end with a dentist or dental therapist.

But, how can a team approach improve patient journey and experience? What is the difference between a dentist and dental therapist?

All dentists and dental therapists complete intense university training and are both registered with the General Dental Council, who regulate all dental activity in the UK to ensure we are all doing things correctly.

The main differences between dentists and dental therapists are within their scope of practice, what they can do and which treatments they can carry out based upon their training.

Dentists are trained to provide all aspects of general dentistry, including, but not limited to:

• The removal of teeth
• Fillings and restorations
• Root canal treatment
• Crown, bridge and denture work

Dental therapists have an equally skilled and valuable scope of practice which is more focused; supporting dentists and their patients, which includes, but is not limited to:

• Oral Health Evaluations including, oral health instruction, dental photography and X-rays
• Impressions and dental scans
• Fillings and restorations
• Emergencies
• Cosmetic restorations such as composite bonding
• Periodontal treatment and maintenance (Hygiene maintenance)
• The removal of baby teeth in children

This blended approach means that we can combine your Oral Health Evaluation appointment with your Hygiene Maintenance appointment, saving you time in the chair and a possible wait between seeing the hygienist and the dentist. However, if you would prefer to continue to see a dentist for your Oral Health Evaluations please let us know and we can note this on your dental records.

For patients who pay a monthly membership fee for THE dentist Salisbury plan,  your monthly fee will continue to cover your Oral Health Evaluations, whether you see the dentist or a dental therapist.

Contact the team