Opportunities for the Dental Team Arising Out of the New Arrangements for Primary Dental Care

Many changes are occurring in the delivery of dental care to patients as a result of the implementation of a series of Government initiatives to improve the services to patients throughout the National Health Service (NHS). Dentistry is no exception, and the whole dental team should benefit from new opportunities that have opened up as a result of these changes. This paper outlines a number of these initiatives, and describes some of the potential opportunities that may develop for each group within the dental team. Many of these changes are already in the pipeline, many depend on funding, and many depend on a change in the mindset of established organisations and institutions to think ‘outside the box’. The author believes that none of the changes outlined or discussed in this paper challenge the position or status of any group; however, they do require all members of the dental team to examine the way in which they work, to look at the evidence base for these ways of working, and then perhaps look for innovative solutions to the employment, training and development of all members of the team.