Direct Access
of a dentist for their current £ı6 an hour, and quite rightly. There is nothing to stop them setting up on their own and you might find some of your patients wander from your flock, especially in this worsening economic climate. But ‘collaboration’ is the idea and
if a therapist finds themself unable to perform some aspect of treat- ment, they will have to refer the patient back to you. I am sure you will be delighted to oblige! Actually, you will be duty bound to. They certainly could potentially work as/instead of associates within established practices... Who knows? So, to my last point. While you
have been busy working incredibly hard, doing a great job of keeping the public happy (this is ‘evidence- based’, by the way) and trying to run a business while heavily regulated, what have all these dental bodies to whom you subscribe been doing to protect your interests? Well the BDA, at the end of March
– coinciding with the GDC decision – has changed its website and is now offering different membership
“I am sure that therapists will not want to undertake the duties of dentists for their current £16 an hour, and quite rightly”
rates, starting with an ‘Essential Package’. Aimed at lots of possible new members? Click on DCP and it comes up with a huge range of dental courses and training (at reduced rates, of course). There was nothing on its site immediately prior to the GDC decision informing us of the impending meeting. There was only one older blog entry from Dr Judith Husband mentioning direct access and her reservations. They do have an entry in the ‘Stake- holder Feedback’, however. The GDC, on the other hand, had
all documents for view on its website in the days before the decision, covering all the responses to the consultation. Unfortunately, they could not be accessed as the website was ‘malfunctioning’. There were ı,400 responses received overall but, considering the thousands of dentists and DCPs in the UK, this seems a paltry number... Did we not realise what was happening? Prob- ably not. The hygienists and therapists
certainly did and champagne corks have been popping!
Maybe it is all nothing to worry
about? In fact the GDC states that therapists will only be able to work within their ‘competence and capa- bilities’ (that will vary according to training). In fact, they are not permitted at present to “diagnose decay” but as they will be treating patients without a dentist seeing them first, they are allowed to ‘make a dental assessment’ before undertaking treatment. Is this not the same thing? I am confused. Certainly, with training, what is to
prevent some therapists becoming competent in all dental procedures and, dare I say it, calling themselves dentists? So, will you be wishing your son
or daughter to follow in your foot- steps and apply for a university place to train as a dentist? They require, astonishingly, five A-grade Highers and, after the five/six year course, will graduate with a lot of debt and enter a profession in disarray.
®
The author is a retired GDP who has worked in both England and Scotland .
Scottish Dental magazine 27
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