The chief dental officer for England, Dr Sara Hurley, has said that there are too many dentists in the country that fail to stick to current guidelines stating that the time between check-ups should depend on an individual’s teeth, with gaps of up to two years between appointments for people in good oral health.
Speaking at the NHS Expo conference in Manchester, Dr Hurley said that many repeat visits to the dentist chair are being driven by a misconception that check-ups should take place every six months, the Daily Telegraph reports.
“What Nice [the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence] has actually indicated is that one size doesn’t fit all. You should get a bespoke piece of advice based on your lifestyle, your experience of disease and your dentists might say, ‘you know, I only need to see you every 24 months’,” she was quoted by the news source as saying.
Dr Hurley went on to advise dentists that patients should be given more advice about reducing the amount of sugar they consume and that many of the people who do have improved oral health actually do not need to see their dentist every six months. By reducing the number of appointments this group of people make, it frees up space at the dentist for people who really do need to make more regular appointments.
It’s important to stay up to date with changes in the industry to ensure patient protection and the reputation of your own business. The British Dental Association has an advice and services page on its website to help with good practice, child protection, guidance, solutions and more.
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