Study reveals gaps in public understanding of dental teams

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 12. August 2025

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CARDIFF, Wales: A new qualitative study has found that many dental patients in Wales remain unclear about the different roles within National Health Service (NHS) dental teams and how to access urgent dental care and emergency dental services. The findings highlight a pressing need for targeted public education to improve patient confidence, service efficiency and the uptake of skill mix models in dentistry.

The research, conducted by the Health and Care Research Wales Evidence Centre at Cardiff University, involved interviews and focus groups with 44 participants across all seven Welsh health boards. Results revealed that, while most respondents recognised the roles of dentists, dental nurses and dental hygienists, very few were aware of dental technicians—and none identified the role of dental therapists, despite their growing importance in NHS service delivery.

Participants frequently used the generic term “dental assistant” for any professional working alongside a dentist, indicating a lack of awareness about the specific training and scope of practice of different team members. This confusion extends to urgent dental care pathways. Many were unsure about what constitutes a dental emergency, who to contact or where to go for help. While some said they would call their own dentist or NHS 111, others admitted that they might attend accident and emergency departments unnecessarily. As described in the article, one participant said, “I don’t really know what constitutes an emergency”, and another stressed the need for clear guidance: “We need a bit of a campaign to say this is what you do with a dental emergency. But also, what is an emergency?”

These knowledge gaps could undermine current NHS reforms that encourage patients to seek care from the most appropriate professional, freeing dentists to focus on complex cases. The study’s authors note that acceptance of the skill mix approach depends on public trust—something that hinges on clear communication about roles and capabilities. Without it, patients may default to seeing a dentist even when another qualified team member could provide timely, effective care.

Participants also offered suggestions for closing these gaps, calling for multichannel public awareness campaigns led by NHS and other government bodies, alongside school-based education and community outreach. Such initiatives, they said, should clarify not only the make-up of dental teams but also the distinctions between routine, urgent and emergency care, and how each can be accessed.

The study, titled “Public awareness of care pathways and available skill mix in NHS dental teams: A qualitative study”, was published on 11 July 2025 in the British Dental Journal.