Your NHS dentistry and oral health update

30 January 2024 (Issue 75)

New resources published to support dental check-up recall intervals

New materials to help dental teams explain check-up recall intervals to patients, are now available to download from the campaigns resource centre. 

NICE clinical guidelines published in 2004, set out how patients should be seen for an oral check-up depending on their risk. This could be up to two years for patients with a low risk of dental disease.

Moving practice away from routine six monthly check-ups, to follow the NICE guidelines, will improve access to dental care for patients and enable dental teams to see more patients with the greatest oral health need.

Two case studies have been produced to support staff with the implementation of the NICE recall guidelines.

Resources to support skill mix in primary dental care

The letter of July 2022 describing the outcomes from 22/23 contract negotiations NHSE outlined steps to promote more effective use of skill mix in primary dental care.

New resources to communicate skill-mix to patients are available on the campaign resource centre here. 

Guidance has been published to support the skill-mix changes regarding opening and submitting courses of treatment. A skill-mix webinar developed is also available here.

NHSE WT&E Yorkshire and Humber have commissioned a free to access on- demand training package to support Dental Therapists and Dental Hygienists working within the dental team who decide to implement the contract skill-mix changes. This on-line training package covers three main areas:

·      Examination and assessment

·      NHS regulations

·      Opening and submitting a course of treatment

The training package can be accessed free of charge here: https://www.dtdhupdate.co.uk/

Dental Staff with COVID-19

Dental framework – Supporting guidance for primary and community care dental settings.

Our guidance is clear: “Risk assessments must be carried out by a competent person with the skills, knowledge, and experience to be able to recognise what must be done to control the risk from the hazards associated with respiratory infectious agents. This can be the employer, or a person specifically appointed to complete the risk assessment.

 During development and on completion the risk assessment needs to be communicated to all staff and employees. The risk assessment can be used to populate local risk management systems. Risk assessment: Steps needed to manage risk - HSE, Managing for health and safety (hse.gov.uk)

Additionally, there is a need to regularly monitor the effectiveness of the identified control measures implemented and periodically review the assessment document.”

 2023/24 Seasonal Influenza and COVID-19 Vaccinations 

As a frontline health or social care professional, you're more likely to be exposed to flu and COVID-19. By getting your seasonal vaccinations ahead of winter, you can help keep yourself and those you care for safe. Immunity fades over time and these viruses change each year.

In line with JCVI advice, the NHS is offering COVID-19 vaccinations to those at greater risk of serious illness this autumn and winter, including NHS dental teams. Staff are encouraged to book their COVID-19 vaccine online, by downloading the NHS App or calling 119 for free.

Dental team members are encouraged to book their flu vaccination at a pharmacy of their choice.  You may be eligible to receive this free of charge through either your organisation’s policy or as part of the JCVI cohort eligibility guidance set out in the national flu immunisation programme 2023 to 2024 letter.

For more information visit www.nhs.uk/wintervaccinations.

To support flu and COVID-19 vaccination uptake amongst eligible frontline health and social care workers, communications resources are now available to download from the Campaign Resource Centre.

Sign up to our primary care bulletin

The Primary Care bulletin is for teams across general practice, dentistry, community pharmacy and optometry and is sent one a week. If you've already signed up but didn't receive the update, then check your junk folder for the confirmation email and make sure you've followed the instructions to complete sign up.

NHS England » Primary Care bulletin

Recent dentistry and oral health bulletins 

Previous bulletins can be accessed by clicking on the links below:

Special focus bulletins 

The NHS team regularly produce 'special focus bulletins' on clinical priorities and key aspects of patient care. These bulletins summarise the key information dental teams need to know and act as a refresher, combining best practice, expert opinion and useful resources. If you would like to suggest a topic for a future special focus bulletin please email the CDO's team at England.CDOExecutive@nhs.net 

NHS primary care bulletin

The NHS primary care bulletin provides resources on health policy and practice and we encourage you to sign up for this, too. It is aimed at teams across general practice, dentistry, community pharmacy and optometry. 

Key advice, guidance and resources for NHS dental teams

NHS updates to the profession 

Key letters from the Chief Dental Officer and the NHS dentistry and oral health team are online here. 

Infection prevention control (IPC) 

NHS practices should refer to the NHS England Infection Prevention and Control Manual which details the principles NHS dental practices should now follow to deliver care. The accompanying dental framework identifies hazards and risks with guidance on measures that should be maintained as we move to new, improved and safer ways of working. 

Dental recall priorities for children: implementation tool

Children are a clinical priority group for all NHS dental teams. Practices are encouraged to use the NHS implementation tool which assists dental professionals in the recall of children for a dental appointment, in line with NICE guidelines. You can view the tool online.

Avoidance of doubt note: provision of phased treatments

This document is to support dental professionals, and to clarify where it might be appropriate to provide phased treatment spanning over several courses of treatment (CoT). You can read it online here.

Health and wellbeing support