Gaby Bissett speaks with Caitlin Miller, Bupa Dental Care’s head of hygiene and therapy, who takes a look at the ever-evolving role and the crucial part it plays in dentistry.
‘I think hygienists and therapists are much more readily recognised for their vital role in delivering great patient care. We often see our patients more than the dentist, meaning we are in prime position to get a better understanding of the patient as a whole.’
For dental hygienist Caitlin Miller, the roles of dental hygienist and dental therapist have come a long way since she started her journey into dentistry.
‘Traditionally, the “scale and polish” model is what would usually be associated with the role,’ she says.
‘They may have been tucked away in a smaller room down the practice corridor. Dental therapists were only working in community practice until not that long ago. As a result, they were not being properly utilised.
‘But now, while challenges remain, we are seeing dental hygienists and therapists train alongside dentists. Patient knowledge is changing too – they want to understand the treatment more, they want to understand their health, they ask questions and they access online resources. All of this is contributing to a changing landscape.’
Changing language
Starting her journey as a dental nurse for her father, she decided to follow his footsteps and apply for dentistry at university. When she didn’t get in, she describes only feeling relief. ‘I knew then that being a dentist wasn’t for me, but I did want to stay in dentistry,’ she says.
‘That was when I considered dental hygiene and therapy – three and a half years later, I finished with a BSc from the University of Portsmouth and have worked in a range of different settings – private, mixed, NHS – ever since.’
But in her first few years practising dental therapy, she describes coming up against ‘a lot of barriers and challenges’ – many of which she is helping to breakdown in her new role as Bupa Dental Care’s head of hygiene and therapy.
‘The language is changing…we consider the language that we use with the patients, the team, in our notes and IT system, to show that dental hygienists and therapists are so much more than a scale and polish – we are an important part of the team’
Appointed in March 2024 alongside a head of dental nursing, it is a first-of-its-kind role within the organisation. Balancing the job with two days a week in clinic, maintaining this in-practice presence was a non-negotiable for Bupa Dental Care when it came to recruiting for it.
Loyalty and respect
‘What is great about my role is that before it, there actually wasn’t really any dedicated person looking after dental hygienists and therapists,’ she says.
‘When I started the role, something I heard a lot was that it was nice for dental hygienists and therapists to have someone there to look after their best interests – even if I hadn’t actually done much yet!
‘People felt the business had listened to them, which encourages loyalty and respect from the workforce.
‘Mark Allan, Bupa Dental Care’s general manager, is continuously looking for ways to enhance the organisation and introducing thoughtful changes as a result.’
Caitlin also points out that language has a big part to play in shaping how dental hygienists and therapists are seen – both by the public and the wider team.
‘The language is changing and that’s something I’m working really hard on. We consider the language that we use with the patients, the language we use with the team and the language in our notes and IT system. This is to show that dental hygienists and therapists are so much more than a scale and polish – we are an important part of the team.’
Embracing the future
Thursday 1 May marks National Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist Day 2025, a chance to celebrate the achievements of the workforce – but also an opportunity to highlight areas for change.
‘I think the challenges faced by dental hygienists and dental therapists are a worldwide issue,’ she says.
‘Many other countries are also struggling to perfect the therapist model within practice and get peers to truly understand what dental therapists can do.
‘I also think when working in a number of practices, it can be really hard for dental therapists and hygienists to connect.’
With a growing interest in holistic health, Caitlin has no doubt that the dental hygienist and therapist will continue to evolve.
‘I went to Portsmouth recently – where I studied – and at 9pm, there were more students in the gym than there were in the bar. Anecdotally, it’s an indication of where lots of young people’s priorities lie today,’ she says.
‘The growing conversations around the mouth-body connection means we are taking bigger leaps within dentistry as a whole. Bupa Dental Care, for example, is carrying out blood pressure testing in its dental practices because it recognises that holistic care is the future.’
Caitlin adds that dental teams are also in a prime position to pick up other conditions and diseases in patients.
‘The amount of times we have found cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure when a patient is in our chair,’ she says.
Find out more by visiting, https://jobs.bupadentalcare.co.uk.
The article is sponsored by Bupa Dental Care.
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