No one is perfect. We all have strengths and weaknesses, especially in dental care, from treatments clinicians may not feel entirely confident in, to aspects of care that a person simply has little to no idea about.
For a successful modern dental practice, it’s important to have all bases covered. The interdisciplinary team is able to support a wider variety of patients, improving business opportunities whilst keeping local communities healthy. However, it isn’t simply a case of having various types of professionals under the same roof. Instead, clinical team members need to have a knowledge of the abilities and responsibilities of those around them, regularly interacting in order to develop a cohesive unit that can refer patients seamlessly based on their needs.
At the centre of this is skill mix, a term used in guidance for NHS practices for years.[i] Understanding this in depth is key, as well as identifying opportunities to help the oral healthcare team grow together.
The perfect blend
Skill mix is an approach to care and practice organisation that ensures each team member’s abilities are used optimally. Dental care professionals (DCPs) are often underutilised, and when properly embraced are able to help deliver safe, effective and timely care; reduce patient waiting times by offering improved flexibility in care provision; help a practice meet NHS contract requirements; and find more personal benefits, including professional development and a balanced working load.i All of this may also help DCPs feel more valued within a practice, and can improve recruitment and retention as a result.
The positives aren’t just felt by dentists, who may be able to adjust the patients they see to take on more complex cases, and the DCPs who have a more engaging day-to-day workflow. Patients are also found to have positive experiences when referred to dental therapists,[ii] for example, with trust in the oral healthcare team’s behaviour and communication being a key factor in a favourable experience.[iii]
Currently, skill mix in NHS dental practices enables dental therapists and dental hygienists to provide direct access to NHS care where it is within the General Dental Council’s (GDC) scope of practice, and as long as they are qualified, competent and indemnified to do so.[iv] Changes to administrative procedures now ensure that these courses of treatment can be opened and closed by both roles, in turn recording their contribution in line with NHS contract agreements.
Limitations define potential
To have a dental practice that successfully fosters this sense of collaboration relies upon effective communication.
Firstly, team members must find opportunities to share the tasks that they are able to complete, so that when a patient presents with such needs, other professionals are able to refer with confidence. The GDC defines the scope of each role within the oral healthcare team, with guidance accessible online. Within this, clinicians will find an outline of what the role presents to the oral healthcare team, a list of some examples of tasks that a DCP may complete, and a wider description of the boundaries of the role.[v]
This last element is very important. By defining the limits of a clinical team member’s practice, all professionals involved are able to confidently know when a referral or task is unsuitable to be managed by a colleague. This protects patients and the practice team, ensuring each procedure is performed in line with current legislation.
If skill mix was easy to implement, it wouldn’t be a key point of discussion for years on end – so what is currently holding it back? Alongside difficulties surrounding training access and contractual requirements, there may also be an inherent hesitancy to implement such work. In part, it requires professionals to be able confidently part with tasks that they have continued to carry out for some time. This can be overcome when engaging in conversations around team abilities, and the development of trust in surrounding professionals.
Bring the team together
There are many different ways to ensure the team embraces the skill mix and pulls in one direction. Internal discussions can be supported by team-wide training, and the attendance of events suited for all professionals connected to clinical care. These can have an educational focus, and may even centre around discussions about the integration of DCPs into various aspects of the dental workflow.
BDIA Dental Showcase, returning on 5–6 March 2027, is the perfect place to bring the entire team together. Alongside the latest technologies, solutions and services from the industry, oral healthcare teams can access a conference filled to the brim with educational opportunities. Hands-on workshops give clinicians the chance to advance their skills on the day, whilst a comprehensive lecture programme has something for every member of the team. These count towards CPD hours, as the oral healthcare team learns together for the weekend.
Skill mix is well understood in modern dentistry. Taking steps to bring professionals together into one cohesive workflow is paramount, and dental practices and their patients will be able to reap the rewards.
For more information about BDIA Dental Showcase and future events, please visit www.dentalshowcase.com
5th–6th March 2027
Excel London
Author: David Hussey, Event Director
[i] NHS England, (2025). Building dental teams: Supporting the use of skill mix in NHS general dental practice – long guidance. (Online) Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/building-dental-teams-supporting-the-use-of-skill-mix-in-nhs-general-dental-practice-long-guidance/ [Accessed June 2026]
[ii] Sun, N., Burnside, G., & Harris, R. (2010). Patient satisfaction with care by dental therapists. British Dental Journal, 208(5), E9-E9.
[iii] Dyer, T. A., Owens, J., & Robinson, P. G. (2013). What matters to patients when their care is delegated to dental therapists?. British Dental Journal, 214(6), E17-E17.
[iv] NHS England, (2025). Building dental teams: Supporting the use of skill mix in NHS general dental practice – short guidance. (Online) Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/building-dental-teams-supporting-the-use-of-skill-mix-in-nhs-general-dental-practice-short-guidance/ [Accessed June 2026]
[v] General Dental Council, (2025). Guidance on Scope of Practice. (Online) Available at: https://www.gdc-uk.org/docs/default-source/information-standards-and-guidance/scope-of-practice/scope-of-practice-guidance-2025-(1).pdf?sfvrsn=18b7c40e_11 [Accessed June 2026]
