Introduction
From April 1st 2006 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) have been responsible for reviewing the oral health needs of their population and commissioning services to meet these needs. With the advent of the Dentist with Special Interest (DwSIs) scheme, PCTs have additional flexibility to commision NHS dental services of a more specialist nature within a primary care setting that are directly in line with the needs of their local communities.
DwSIs provides an opportunity for dentists to gain recognition and accreditation for additional competencies gained through either training or experience. Providing special interest work within the NHS as part of the contractual agreement with their PCTs not only reduces the pressure on secondary care resources and frees secondary care consultants for more complex work, but widens the choice of treatments available to patients in terms of the nature and location of their NHS dental care.
The scheme launches with four key comptencies - Orthodontics, Minor Oral Surgery , Endodontics, and Periodontics. Additional competencies are due to follow.
Health professionals in other sectors already have similar special interest schemes in place enabling them to provide more specilaist care,whilst still working in a primary care setting.
Competency Frameworks
Visit the Department of Health's section on DwSIs
Click one on of the following specialties to go straight to the Guidelines for the appointment of Dentists with Special Interests (DwSIs) in:
02/01/08: Guidelines for the Apppointment of Dentists with Special Interests (DwSIs) in Conscious Sedation
DH has issued guidance to PCTs on the appointment of DwSIs in conscious sedation, including a competency framework, contract requirements, assessment standards and the scope of treatment that can be undertaken.
This will be of particular use when reviewing contracts for advanced mandatory services in sedation.
To read the DH guidance in full, click here
29/11/07: Guidelines for the Appointment of Dentists with Special Interests (DwSIs) in Prison Dentistry
Guidelines for the Appointment of Dentists with Special Interests (DwSIs) in Prison Dentistry have been produced by the Department of Health, the Oxford Deanery, the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry and NHS Primary Care Commissioning. They are designed to help prison managers and healthcare commissioners define more closely the role and working arrangements for prison dentists. The competency frameworks set out in the document will also help prison dentists to identify their learning needs, and undertake further training so that they can improve standards of care.
To read the document in full, click here.
To read the press release, click here.
Access our Step-by-Step guidance on setting up a DwSIs service
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