Dental Therapy

We are pleased to announce that you or your child may now see our Dental Therapists for your examination & treatment appointments.

This service is called Direct Access Dental Treatment, & eliminates the need to see a Dentist first, where appropriate.

What Exactly is a Dental Therapist?

Dental Therapists are registered Dental Care Professionals (DCPs) who provide oral health advice and dental treatment. They are qualified to undertake the following treatments & procedures;

  • Dental examinations

  • Oral cancer screenings

  • Diagnosis & planning of certain items of treatment

  • Periodontal (gum) examinations & treatment

  • Oral health advice & education

  • Preventative care & treatment of dental disease

  • Periodontal (gum) disease & tooth wear

  • Prescription & implementation of radiographs (X-Rays)

  • Fissure sealants

  • Fluoride varnish application

  • Injections

  • Advice on smoking cessation

  • Dental photography inside & outside the mouth

  • Implementation of direct restorations (fillings) on primary (baby) & secondary (adult) teeth

  • Placement of temporary fillings

  • Obtain impressions & implement recement crowns

  • Care of implants & treatment of peri-implant tissues

  • Place pre-made crowns on primary (baby) teeth

  • Extraction of primary (baby) teeth

  • Implement pulpotomies (removing the pulp inside the tooth) on primary (baby) teeth

  • Identification of anatomical features, recognise abnormalities & interpret common pathology

Complex or advanced treatments are left in the domain of a Dentist such as carrying out crowns and bridges, root canal work, dentures and extractions of adult teeth.

Giving Consent

It is important to know that a Dental Therapist is only responsible for treatments they are able to provide, as listed above,

If you are happy to give your consent for treatment by a Therapist under direct access, we will kindly ask you to sign a separate consent form which will be stored in your clinical record. If you have not already received this form we will be emailing you soon. If at any point you wish to withdraw your consent under direct access, you can speak with your Dental Therapist or another member of our clinical team.

Meet the Therapy team

We are lucky to have both Alex Ward & Chloe Crispin delivering direct access at Dartmoor Dental.

Referral to a Dentist or other Healthcare Professional

If the Dental Therapist advises you to see a Dentist, it is because they feel that it is in the interests of your health, it is outside the remit of the treatment they can provide, or they are uncertain about treating you without further advice. This will usually be a referral to another member of the internal Dartmoor Dental Dentist/Healthcare Professional team. If you require treatment that is not provided within Dartmoor Dental, we will discuss making an external referral to another healthcare provider with you.

Can I opt out?

Yes, if you do not wish to be treated under the direct access agreement, then please discuss this with a member of our clinical team. This will not impact your ability to receive treatment & your care will remain the responsibility of your Dentist.