Talk:Dental therapist

message: A dental therapist is a member of the dental team whose role is dependent on their approved education, training and competence. [1] The age of patient's they are able to treat, whether it be children adolescents or adults is also dependent on their training, however their main role in the dental team is the provision of preventative services. [1] This page will explore various countries that employ dental therapists. This includes information on their training, responsibilities, roles within the dental team, and a brief history of dental therapy.
Local dental regulations are constantly changing to include extended duties and exemptions for dental therapists, with each country having their own regulations and guidelines.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Em.nugi.boh (talk • contribs) 10:10, 25 May 2014 (UTC)
thread_title:  Intro edits 

message: Watch this space for the link to the edited page suggested by a group of oral health students from Australia
Kateo231 (talk) 02:31, 2 December 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Suggested Edits 

message: Suggested Edit under the training section by Kateo231 :
Dental Therapists provide preventative and restorative dental care for children and adolescents in fifty three countries, below are a select few that sufficient and appropriate information was able to be obtained about. Kateo231 (talk) 23:58, 13 May 2014 (UTC)
thread_title: Training

message: Suggested edit to Role within the dental Tristandfield 
Dental therapists practice in a team situation alongside a practising dentist and have a tradition of being part of the dental team primarily to provide dental care to children through school dental services – need to add to wiki page
Their position has previously been under some scrutiny however recent research has highlighted their level of competence is equal to that of a dentist when clinicians stay within their scope of practice. <ref>[Phillips, E., & Shaefer, H. L. (2013). Dental therapists: Evidence of technical competence. Journal of Dental Research, 92(7 Suppl), 11S-S15.]<ref> Tristandfield (talk)13:00, 24 of May
Referencing to follow. Rm2mcrae (talk) 00:15, 19 March 2014 (UTC)
thread_title: Role within the dental team

message: In 1913, the then President of the New Zealand Dental Association, Dr Norman K Cox proposed a system of school clinics operated by the state and staffed by 'oral hygienists' to address the dental needs of children between the ages of 6 and 14 years.  At the time the idea was considered too unorthodox but in 1920, at a special meeting of the New Zealand Dental Association, 16 members voted for the adoption of school dental nurses with 7 opposed to the proposal.  School dental nurses were to provide diagnostic and restorative services to children less than 12 yeas of age '...in a rigidly structured set of methods and procedures which spare her the anxiety of making choices'.  
In Great Britan, during the first world war, 'dental dressers' were used to carry out examinations and treatment for children in parts of England.  Their role however, was eliminated by the Dentist Act of 1921 because of hostility to the role on the part of the dentist profession.  They were later re-introduced, on the strength of the New Zealand scheme, as dental therapists when the high dental needs of children were 'rediscovered' in the 1960's, carrying out similar services but under the prescription of a dentist who carried out the examination and care plan. 
School dental services based on dental therapists were also established in other countries including Canada, South Africa, the Netherlands (temporarily), Fiji, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Philippines and in 2000, 28 countries around the world utilised dental therapists. In today's modern day practices, in all previously mentioned countries dental therapists are becoming more recognised and employable due to the identifiable need for dental professionals in undeserved areas <ref name="Friedman2">Friedman, J. W. (2011). The international dental therapist: History and current status. Journal of the California Dental Association, 39(1), 23-29.  
The above information can be accessed at 
http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0011848611002640/1-s2.0-S0011848611002640-main.pdf?_tid=610983a4-db61-11e3-a96f-00000aab0f27&acdnat=1400069883_3f36878a1921f9928056e2ba9ecb6344
Referencing to follow. StaccaP (talk) 04:03, 18 March 2014 (UTC)
thread_title: History Text

message: In the Netherlands, there is currently a dental professional similar to that of an Oral Health therapist. They are called Oral hygienists. They can currently perform procedures of a dental hygienist and are trained to perform therapeutic procedures that a dental therapist can perform. However, they are only allowed to perform these therapeutic procedures under the instruction of a dentist.
Proposal to delete the "By Country" section as it is now applicable to the "Training" Kateo231 (talk) 03:13, 20 April 2014 (UTC)
thread_title: By country edits

message: Watch this space for the link to the edited page suggested by a group of oral health students from Australia  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Kateo231 (talk • contribs) 02:22, 2 December 2013 (UTC)
thread_title:  Suggested Edits 

message: Sri Lanka has had 'School Dental Therapists' (initially trained in New Zealand starting in 1951) in a School Dental Service-like system like NZ. 
https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/1136/dental-nurses-from-ceylon
Since 1955 they have be trained in Sri Lanka, initially by NZ instructors https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353009216_School_Dental_Therapists'_Services_in_Sri_Lanka_An_overview
Pear285 (talk |  contribs) 01:44, 7 August 2022 (UTC)
thread_title:  Sri Lanka