Special Care Dentistry Specialists

What is Special Care Dentistry?

Special Care Dentistry is a new speciality introduced in 2008. It is concerned with the oral health of individual patients or groups in society with either a physical, sensory, intellectual, mental, medical, emotional or social impairment or disability, or a combination of these.

What is a specialist in Special Care Dentistry?

Most specialists in Special Care Dentistry work in the salaried dental services such as the community dental service or personal dental service.

What treatments can a specialist in Special Care Dentistry carry out?

Specialists in Special Care Dentistry will carry out most of the treatments normally carried out by GDPs. However, they will have further training and expertise in treating patients with impairment, disability or complex medical conditions.

What additional training and qualifications does a specialist in Special Care Dentistry need?

Since the specialist list in Special Care Dentistry has only recently been introduced, dentists can currently apply to join the list without a CCST on the basis of their speciality training, qualifications and experience; e.g. an existing consultant in Special Care Dentistry may apply for inclusion onto the specialist list, or a registered dentist with relevant postgraduate training, qualifications or experience can also apply. However, after 30 September 2010, applicants will need to have a CCST to be considered for specialist status in Special Care