Dental services are provided by dentists, specialist dentists and other members of the dental team, including dental nurses, receptionists, support staff, technologists, hygienists, and dental therapists. Dentistry is practiced in hospitals, private practices, and in community and outreac h settings. Dental laboratories, run by prosthetists and teams of dental technicians, provide technical dentistry services. Specialist dentistry includes Oral-Maxillo Facial surgery, which is also a surgical specialty within medicine, that deals with complex dentistry conditions such as facial trauma.

The dental workforce provides an essential healthcare service to the community and is made up of multiple challenging and rewarding professions. The healthcare sector, including dentistry, continues to benefit from advancements in technology, and building a robust workforce remains integral to meet ongoing and future demand for dental services. Fortunately, there are numerous career paths within Dentistry, and many opportunities for career development and specialisation.

Dental Therapists/Hygienists/Orthodontic Therapists, along with dental nurses, dental technicians and clinical dental technicians, are collectively known as Dental Care Professionals who are registered with the GDC. They have undertaken a bachelor’s degree in dental therapy and hygiene, or equivalent postgraduate study (following a dental nursing or technology degree/traineeship). Dental Therapists and Hygienists assess and treat dental disorders in children and adolescents. They educate and help motivate people, young and old, to care for and improve their oral health. They provide routine dental services for adults and children, including dental examinations and preventative and periodontal dental treatments, such as cleaning and polishing, fluoride treatment, X-rays, fillings and fissure sealants, extraction of deciduous teeth, and treatment of pulpotomies. They may work in mobile clinics out in the community, or as part of the dentist-led team in hospitals or private practices. They provide patients with routine dental care, and this helps to free up the dentist for more complex and specialised procedures. Orthodontic Therapists help the dentist or orthodontist with orthodontic treatments, such as insertion or removal of braces and other orthodontic appliances.