Dental Practitioners
Description
Dental practitioners diagnose dental and oral diseases, injuries and disorders, prescribe and administer treatment, recommend preventative action and, where necessary, refer the patient to a specialist.
Tasks
- Examines patient’s teeth, gums and jaw, using dental and x-ray equipment, diagnoses dental conditions
- Assesses and recommends treatment options to patients
- Administers local anaesthetics
- Carries out clinical treatments, restores teeth affected by decay etc., treats gum disease and other disorders
- Constructs and fits braces, inlays, dentures and other appliances
- Supervises patient’s progress and advises on preventative action
- Educates patients on oral health care
- Refers patient to specialist, where necessary
- Maintains patients’ dental health records
- Prepares and delivers lectures, undertakes research, and conducts and participates in clinical trials.
Entry Requirements
Entrants require an approved university degree and must have completed a period of postgraduate vocational training. Graduate entry to dental school is sometimes possible. Registration with the General Dental Council is a pre-requisite to practise. Specialist fields require further study and training.