Direct Access Has Arrived!

It hasn’t made worldwide headlines but there has been an exciting development in dentistry this week.

From 1st May 2013 Dental Hygienists have been granted direct access to patients, this means they no longer need to work on prescription from a dentist for treatments within their scope of practice such as a scale and polish.

Up until this week, if you wanted to see a hygienist you had to undergo an examination by a dentist before you could be treated by the hygienist but thanks to this new ruling by the General Dental Council this is no longer the case.

This is a fantastic step in making dentistry more accessible to patients.

Hygiene care is a vital part of your dental routine but it certainly does not negate the need to see a dentist for regular check-ups.  Your hygienist will be able to help you keep your teeth clean, advise you on oral hygiene and monitor your current gum health status but they cannot diagnose common dental diseases such as decay or oral cancer, you still need to see your dentist for this.

What this exciting change of the rules will allow is for a patient to visit any hygienist without the need for a prior assessment by a dentist so if you’ve got a special occasion and would like your smile freshened up with a scale and polish you can now simply book an appointment with the hygienist.

Call us today to book your hygiene appointment on 01425 615080 or request an appointment by email contactus@birchfieldpractice.co.uk  

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