Laurence is a copywriter and trained journalist. His passion is creating insightful and educational content for dental professionals of every level. Outside of work, he enjoys watching sport, quizzing and spending time with his family.
What is a Dental Therapist?
Dental therapists can carry out all the tasks done by a dental hygienist, plus fillings that do not involve the pulp, and extracting baby teeth.
Tasks that full under the remit of a dental therapist include:
- Scaling and polishing
- Fluoride and fissure sealant treatments
- Taking dental x-rays
- Taking dental impressions of teeth
- Routine dental fixes of baby and permanent teeth
- Placing and replacing crowns
- Extracting teeth
- Administering local anaesthetic
Dental therapists also play a key role in offering preventative advice to patients around oral hygiene.
How Many Dental Therapists Are There in the UK?
As of September 2017, there were over 2,000 dental therapists registered in the UK, with the majority of these also registered to work as dental hygienists.
Where Can Dental Therapists Work?
Most dental therapists work at a dental practice, in an NHS or private hospital. Dental therapists can also work for a community dental service, the prison service, specialist periodontal or orthodontic practices and education/research establishments.
Do Patients Have to See a Dentist Before Seeing a Dental Therapist?
Dental hygienists and dental therapists can carry out their full scope of practice without prescription and without the patient having to first see a dentist. However, they must be confident that they have the skills and competences required to treat patients directly before doing so.
Can Dental Therapists Do Teeth Whitening?
Registered dental therapists can carry out tooth whitening under the prescription from a dentist. Dental therapists who are suitably trained in tooth whitening can assess patients for teeth whitening procedures but cannot decide on whether tooth whitening takes place, according to EU legislation. The decision on whether to provide whitening treatment can only be made by a dentist after they have assessed the patient and written a prescription.
General Dental Council
General Dental Council
How Do You Become a Dental Therapist?
Anyone wishing to practice as a dental therapist must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and have their degree or diploma approved by the GDC.
In the UK, qualification can be obtained through several courses which include BSc Oral Health Sciences, BSc Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene or BSc Dental Therapy.
A full list of GDC-approved dental therapy courses can be found here.
Entry criteria vary between courses, so it is important to check the exact requirements. Some for example require applicants to have had some experience of dental nursing or shadowing a dental therapist.
Qualified dental hygienists and dental nurses may be able to do a part-time course with a dental school to become a dental therapist.
How many hours does a full time dental therapist work?
Full time dental therapists usually work 37.5 hours Monday to Friday between 8:30am and 5pm. Dental therapists working in the community or in a hospital are more likely to require greater flexibility in the days and times they work.
What is the average salary of a dental therapist?
Starting salaries for full time dental therapists working in the NHS typically range from £25,655 to £39,027, whilst more experienced dental therapists can earn over £40,000.
This is according to the NHS Agenda for Change pay scales. Hourly rates in private practice can range from £20 to more than £50.
Career progression possibilities for dental therapists include becoming a practice manager, setting up a new practice and moving into research or teaching.
What other skills do dental therapists need?
There are many qualities and attributes that are needed to be a dental therapist:
- Knowledge of medicine and dentistry
- Sensitivity and understanding
- Attention to detail
- Ability to work cooperatively within a team
- Thinking and reasoning skills
- Patience and the ability to remain calm
- Basic computer skills and good hand-eye coordination
How Kent Express Can Help?
If you are training to become a dental therapist or considering switching to a career in dental therapy, we have a wealth of articles on our website to help you learn more about the different areas of dentistry.
This includes guides to everything from burs and handpieces to autoclaves and ultrasonic baths.
All the products, uniform and small equipment featured in our articles are available to purchase on our website to GDC-registered dental therapists. This includes our money-saving own brands (DEHP, Cybertech, Profection, Big White Smile, Supreme Endo), all of which come with a full money-back guarantee as standard.
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