Round table Sponsored by
Continued »
sufficient standard for yourself.” To which Stuart asked: “But dentists’
work is monitored. If it’s a private setting for Direct Access, who monitors the patients?” Lorraine and Margaret both pointed
out that the DCPs would be both GDC- registered and a member of a protection society. “And, as a registrant, you are culpable for any treatment you have carried out,” said Lorraine. Robert, who has two CDT clinics, one
in Glasgow and another in Edinburgh, argued that one of the major stumbling blocks for him has been the lack of knowl- edge about what he actually does. He said: “The biggest problem I have as a CDT, and CDTs have in general, is that dentists and the wider dental profession know nothing about it. They have never been to a CDT practice and they don’t know what we are allowed to do. They have probably pictured in their mind that we have a chair in a lab somewhere that is dusted off and there is no support network.” He explained that he has worked hard
to build relationships with local practices and generate his own support network
“There is still a huge lack of awareness of clinical ability”
for his businesses, despite getting what he described as a “mixed response of either ‘that’s interesting’ or a shrug of the shoulders” from some of the dentists he visited. Margaret then revealed that a recent
study that she has been working on has shown that: “One year after Direct Access, there is still a huge lack of awareness of the clinical ability, competence and educa- tion of non-dentists who are undertaking dentistry.” She said that she has still experienced
VTs saying things like: “Hygienist/thera- pists don’t have the fundamental education to be able to treat patients as well as dentists can.” She continued: “So, I think it is a case of
creating an awareness and educating not only the public about the other people that are there and can provide clinical services, but also about educating the profession.”
Helen Kaney, dento-legal adviser based
at Dental Protection’s Edinburgh office, stated that Dental Protection’s position is that as long as an individual is working within the guidance and their scope of practice – and are properly trained, compe- tent and indemnified – it has no issue with Direct Access. However, she did admit that very few of her colleagues in Scotland knew of hygienists or hygienist/therapists who were working in a Direct Access situa- tion. “So, we are all very curious actually as to how it is going and what the profession thinks of it,” she said. She added that she understands the frus-
trations of DCPs who are not getting the referrals from dentists, but explained that dentists can only be invited, not required, to refer to a DCP working under Direct Access arrangements and that there may be very valid reasons why a dentist would choose not to refer, perhaps because the treatment required is available ‘in-house’. Carol responded: “I think it is about
Continued » Scottish Dental magazine 31
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