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Dental & Therapy Student Clinics: Who to Refer

NHS Tayside RefGuide
NHS Tayside

Cases appropriate for undergraduate student clinics

✔ Summary of undergraduate (BDS and therapy) student outreach referrals
✔ Cost
  • Treatment on the Student Clinic is free for all patients.
✔ Waiting Time
  • Student Clinics are not covered by National Waiting Time Guarantees.
  • Due to teaching, exams, holidays etc. there are periods when clinics are unavailable.
✔ Clinical Time
  • Treatment will take longer to complete than at a High Street Dental Practice.
  • Appointments are only available Monday to Friday 9am – 3.30pm during term time.
✔ Treatment Provision
  • Treatment cannot be guaranteed to be completed by the same student.
  • Treatment is supervised by a qualified Dentist or Therapist.
✔ Patient Failure to Attend
  • If patients do not attend appointments or frequently cancel at short notice the offer of student treatment will be withdrawn.
  • If patients no longer wish to attend, please advise a member of staff or by calling 01382 425792.

Restorative dentistry student clinic referrals (including direct access dental therapist periodontology referrals)

✔ The following are eligible for referral to the Restorative Student Clinic (patients aged over 16)
✔ Routine restorations
  • Direct composite restorations.
  • Direct amalgam restorations.
✔ Prosthodontics
  • Removable complete and partial prosthodontics.
  • Fixed prosthodontics such as inlays / onlays, single unit crowns, bridgework.
✔ Non-surgical periodontology
  • Oral health education and treatment of cases with BPE Scores 3 or below.
  • Non-surgical treatment of cases including both gingivitis and periodontitis.
✔ Non-surgical endodontics
  • Primary/de novo treatment of both single and multi-rooted teeth.

 

✘ The following is not suitable on Restorative Student Clinics
✘ Complex fixed prosthodontics
  • Complex crown and bridgework including occlusal rehabilitation.
  • Dental implants.
✘ Complex endodontics
  • Moderate or high complexity root canal re-treatment.
  • Repair of perforations.
  • Removal of fractured instruments.
  • Periradicular microsurgery.
✘ Other
  • Treatment under sedation.
  • Some tooth whitening procedures.
  • Patient expectations which would be better met by a qualified dentist.

Paediatric dentistry student clinic referrals

✔ The following are eligible for referral to the Paediatric Student Clinic (patients aged 16 and under)
✔ Prevention
  • Preventive advice and instruction.
  • Fissure sealants.
✔ Restorative dentistry
  • Routine restorations.
  • Stainless steel crowns (Hall crowns).
✔ Exodontia
  • Simple tooth extraction.

 

✘ The following is not provided on the Paediatric Student Clinic
✘ Dental trauma
  • For management of dental trauma, refer to the Specialist Paediatric Dentistry Service and not student clinic.
✘ Endodontics
  • For endodontic procedures refer to the Specialist Paediatric Dentistry Service and not Student clinic.
✘ Other
  • Treatment under sedation.
  • Microabrasion.

Editorial Information

Next review date: 03/05/2027