The roles and responsibilities of a Dentist

We visit our dentist regularly to get check ups and work done but do we actually know what the responsibilities of a dentist are. In this article we will look at some of the roles and responsibilities that are covered in a dentist’s work life.
The main objective of a dentist is to provide a range of dental procedures and care to the practice’s patients to set standards, policies and procedures. This will be supported by keeping detailed notes for each patient, using dental software and working to NICE guidelines.
As well as working on registered patients, a dentist has a responsibility to also give emergency treatment to patients who are unregistered with their practice and out of hours house calls when needed.
In smaller surgeries a dentist will have greater responsibilities, for example managing the day to day activities and provide training if they posses the relevant knowledge.
The practice dentist will have to asses and discuss the treatment options with each patient to work out which is the best for each situation and the patient’s needs. The role will also involve marketing certain treatments to potential clients. This may include showing a range of corrective braces available and demonstrating new techniques and products.
Most of a dentist’s day will consist of dealing with patients on a one on one basis. It is said that around 50% of the British public are registered with a dental practice, with these patients averaging a visit every six months for check ups. This means that a large majority of a dentist’s time will involve performing routine checks and assessing any potential concerns that the patient has or will encounter.
A third of patients will need some minor treatment when visiting the practice, these will include fillings, root fillings, caps and bridges. Most of these treatments will take place within the practice using local anaesthetics if needed. A dental nurse will provide support treatment when required.
Most average dental practices will have a range of patients that will reflect the population of the area. Dentists can expect to treat, young and old, male and females and people of all races and religions.
Less common tasks will involve dentists needing to partake in studies, take and conduct training and provide data and information that can be used for statistics.

This article was written on behalf of ADP Dental Recruitment who offer dental recruitment for a range of dental careers across the country