Orthodontic Therapists
Orthodontic therapists are registered dental professionals who carry out certain parts of orthodontic treatment under prescription and close supervision of a dentist, who is an orthodontist on the Specialist Orthodontic register of the General Dental Council.
Orthodontic therapists:
- clean and prepare tooth surfaces ready for orthodontic treatment
- identify, select, use and maintain appropriate instruments
- insert passive removable orthodontic appliances
- insert active removable orthodontic appliances adjusted by a dentist
- remove fixed appliances, orthodontic adhesives and cement
- take impressions
- pour, cast and trim study models
- make a patient's orthodontic appliance safe in the absence of a dentist
- fit orthodontic headgear
- fit orthodontic facebows which have been adjusted by a dentist
- take occlusal records including orthognathic facebow readings
- place brackets and bands
- prepare, insert, adjust and remove archwires
- give advice on appliance care and oral health instruction
- fit tooth separators
- fit bonded retainers
- make appropriate referrals to other healthcare professionals.
Additional skills which orthodontic therapists could develop during their career include:
- applying fluoride varnish to the prescription of a dentist
- repairing the acrylic component part of orthodontic appliances
- measuring and recording plaque indices and gingival indices
- removing sutures after the wound has been checked by a dentist
Orthodontic therapists do not:
- remove sub-gingival deposits
- give local analgesia
- re-cement crowns
- place temporary dressings
- place active medicaments
as these tasks are reserved to dental hygienists, dental therapists and dentists.
They do not carry out laboratory work other than that listed above as that is reserved for dental technicians and clinical dental technicians. They cannot diagnose disease, treatment plan or activate orthodontic wires - only dentists can do this.
Reference: Scope of Practice 2009, General Dental Council
Training
NHS Education for Scotland, in conjunction with Edinburgh Dental Institute, runs an Orthodontic Therapist Training Programme, which has gained full approval by the GDC for the training of Orthodontic Therapists.
The next course is likely to be Spring 2013 for approximately 8 places.
The current course fees are £6,250 for student orthodontic therapists working within NHS Scotland and £12,500 for any students working outwith NHS Scotland.
Further Information
For further information, please see the
You can also find below the:
For further information, please email:
margaret.davie@nes.scot.nhs.uk
