Information to work in this country is available from:

British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy 3 Kestrel Court Waterwells Business Park GLOUCESTER GL2 2AT UK e-mail: enquires@bsdht.org.uk · www.bsdht.org.uk

Procedures and/or documents that are necessary to be able to work in this country:

A Diploma or first degree in Dental Hygiene (or Therapy) that meets the UK standard of training. This must be validated by the General Dental Council (see below)

Official licensing body in the country:

The General Dental Council 64 Wimpole Street, London W1M 8DQ, UK Tel: +44-171-887 3800 · Fax: +44-171-224 3294 · www.gdc-uk.org

Special conditions that may apply for hygienists that obtain employment:

must be fluent in English.

Contact for Work Permit and/or Visa:

The British Embassy/Consulate in the country of residence.

Is a job offer required before a Work Permit/Visa is issued?

Yes.

Main local and/or official language(s):

English.

Are hygienists qualified overseas required to sit the country's national examination?

Not in every instance as the General Dental Council may grant equivalence.

Information on the local working environment:

Dental Hygienists (and Therapists) work in all areas of dentistry and may own their own dental practices. Although they must work to the referral of a dentist. The referral lasts for a three year period. In the United Kingdom a large number of individuals that qualify do so with a joint diploma in Dental Hygiene and Therapy.

Standard tasks that hygienists are allowed to undertake in the country:

Dental Hygienists can scale and polish teeth and provide advanced periodontal therapy. They may do this utilising local infiltration and inferior dental nerve block analgesia. They may apply prophylactic and antimicrobial materials, carry out fissure sealants, take radiographs, and undertake monitoring and screening procedures including intra and extra oral assessments. They provide detailed oral hygiene and dietary advice. They may provide emergency temporary replacement of crowns or fillings and take impressions. With additional training they may treat patients under conscious sedation, carry out tooth whitening and remove sutures. Dental Therapist (who also now qualify as Dental Hygienists) in addition may also undertake the following treat the dentition with simple restorations using all materials except prior pinned placements, extract deciduous teeth under local infiltration analgesia and with appropriate training, provide pulp treatments and placement of preformed crowns on deciduous teeth.

Country Statistics

Total Population 61,000,000 Number of Dental Hygienists, Female / Male 6,260 / 100 Number of Dentists 28,500 Number of Dental Hygiene Schools / Students per year 20 / 320 Practicing Dental Hygienists: Full-time / Part-time 2,120 / 4,240 Number of Dental Hygienists in private sector / public sector 5,960 / 300 Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Clinicians 6,100 Number of Dental Hygienists practicing as Educators 120 Hygienists practicing as Administrators and/or Consultants 20 Number of Dental Hygienists in other practice settings 90

Information based on data received by IFDH in:

2009

NOTE: The information provided above is for general guidance only. The International Federation of Dental Hygienists advises all hygienists to contact the country's relevant licensing bodies and agencies for current information and regulations. Search the database:

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