A United Voice

If you’ve ever had to turn a patient away with incomplete treatment because you couldn’t get a prescription for the necessary medicines, you’ll understand why it’s so important that the regulations change.

The British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) and the British Association of Dental Therapists (BADT) are working together to make change happen. They are pursuing exemptions to the Medicines Act that would mean a list of prescription-only medicines would be specified in legislation for dental hygienists and dental therapists to administer or supply.

If successful, the impact of this campaign could be huge:

• It would help ensure a more comfortable and efficient dental experience for patients, eliminating frustrations and time delays caused when prescriptions are incorrect or unavailable.
• It would enable dental hygienists and therapists to utilise their skills and knowledge to provide the best care; they’d be able to build better rapport with their patients and have new opportunities for career development.
• The advantages extend to the practice, as well, because improving access to the care patients need will not only enhance their oral health but also ensure their satisfaction with the service they receive.

Michaela ONeill, immediate past president of the BSDHT, and Fiona Sandom, immediate past president of the BADT, are driving the campaign.

‘I cannot say how many times I’ve had to turn patients away because a prescription was not available, or no longer appropriate because of changes in the patient’s situation,’ says ONeill. ‘It’s so inefficient for both me and the patient. It’s unfortunate that we’ve been left with this legacy, but we can change it and we are working hard to do just that.’

The two associations, led by ONeill and Sandom, have been working for the past few years to make the voice of the profession heard. The Department of Health recently gave the campaign the green light to move on to the next phase; its patient-focused nature aligns perfectly with NHS England’s “Five Year Forward View.”

The organizations hope to build their case by collecting the accounts of professionals across the UK when their lack of prescribing responsibilities ended up causing issues. They’re asking dental hygienists and therapists to submit stories about when they’ve had to send patients away with incomplete treatment because the employees couldn’t get the relevant prescriptions. Dental professionals who’ve experienced these situations can email prescribing@bsdht.org.uk and share their stories, including the impact on the patients and the practice.

The BSDHT and the BADT have been funding the campaign, but ONeill says they don’t have the resources to continue doing so on a large scale and are asking dental teams across the UK for financial support.

‘It’s very exciting to have this opportunity to change the regulations restricting our profession, for the better,’ she says. ‘But we really need the support of the whole profession if we are to be successful.’