Specialties: relevance and reform in the UK

Abstract

Specialties play an important role in meeting the needs and expectations of the population by supporting primary care practitioners, providing expert diagnosis alongside advanced care plans and treatment, extending knowledge and expertise, advising policy makers and training the next generation. During the 19th and 20th centuries, interest groups formed around contemporary oral and dental issues, each contributing knowledge and skills to the practice of dentistry. Many of these ‘issues’ would today be described as addressing specific population needs. Although the history of dental specialties could be written from any number of different perspectives, this paper explores the introduction, development and reform of dental specialties in the UK from a public health perspective, with particular emphasis on England.

TIER 2: A Warm Welcomel or A Cold Reality?

“…in an nHS with a forward view to evolve, 23 dWSis have the potential to become an integral part of an nHS dental service that flexibly meets the needs of local populations by supporting the primary care practitioners provide advanced care needed to their patients. moreover, dWSis are ideally positioned to help bridge the gap and build more effective and efficient alliances between both primary and secondary care services 24 in doing so extending and aligning the available expert knowledge, expertise and resources needed to support our patient's oral health. However, not only can this be achieved through collaborative audit, research and continued service development but more crucially can only be sustainable if major consideration is placed on its impact on the workforce and its development.…”