WHO DOES WHAT AT THE DENTAL PRACTICE

Seven roles,
one team.

The person treating you may not be the dentist.

The General Dental Council registers seven dental professions in the UK. Each has its own set of skills and limits, written down in GDC guidance. Here is who they are and what each one does.

7 ROLES on one register

Meet the team

A bright, empty dental surgery with a reclined patient chair, an overhead light and instrument trays laid out ready — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Every role is registered
Each has clear limits
You can check anyone
An independent plain-English guide

THE SHORT ANSWER

A dentist leads,
a team delivers.

The GDC calls them dental professionals.
All seven must be registered to work.

DENTISTS

The full range of dentistry

The GDC says dentists usually lead the dental team and are the only members who can carry out the full range of dental treatments.

See who does what

HYGIENISTS AND THERAPISTS

Prevention, gums and more

Hygienists treat gum disease and focus on prevention. Therapists do that too, plus fillings and some children's treatment, including extracting baby teeth.

Seeing them directly

NURSES AND TECHNICIANS

Support and craft

Dental nurses support every part of care and infection control. Technicians make dentures, crowns and other appliances to a prescription.

See the numbers

General information only, not medical advice. For advice about your own health, speak to a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified health professional.

WHO CAN YOU SEE FIRST?

Do you need the
dentist first?

Since 2013 some members of the dental team can see patients without a referral from a dentist. This is called direct access. Pick a role to see how far it goes. The bar shows how much of their work they can offer directly.

Direct access check

Choose a roleDental hygienistDental therapistClinical dental technicianDental nurseDental technician

Dental hygienistMost of their work

Hygienists can carry out their full scope of practice without a referral, except tooth whitening, which needs a dentist's prescription with a dentist on site for the first treatment.

Dental therapistMost of their work

Like hygienists, therapists can work to their full scope without a referral, apart from tooth whitening. They refer to a dentist when treatment is outside their scope.

Clinical dental technicianFull dentures only

They can provide and maintain full dentures directly for people with no natural teeth and no implants. For anyone with teeth or implants they need a prescription from a dentist.

Dental nursePublic health schemes

Dental nurses can take part in structured public health programmes without the patient seeing a dentist first. Otherwise they work under the prescription or direction of a dentist or other registered professional.

Dental technicianRepairs and shades

Outside a team setting, technicians can see patients directly only for denture repairs and shade-taking. Everything else is made to a dentist's or clinical dental technician's prescription.

Source: General Dental Council, Direct access guidance (updated 1 November 2025) and Scope of Practice guidance (2025).

Based on the General Dental Council's direct access and Scope of Practice guidance. General information only, not dental advice.

TWO NUMBERS FROM THE REGISTER

A big team,
mostly nurses.

From the GDC's registration report for 2025,
counted as of December 2025.

131,680

Registered dental professionals in the UK

As of December 2025, a 4.7% rise on the year before. That included 47,916 dentists and 83,764 dental care professionals.

ON THE REGISTER · GDC

68,472

Registered dental nurses

Dental nurses now make up over half of everyone on the register. Hygienists numbered 11,292 and therapists 8,661, while dental technicians fell below 5,000 for the first time.

DENTAL NURSES · GDC

Source: General Dental Council news release on its Registration Statistical Report for 2025, published 7 May 2026.

FOUR THINGS WORTH KNOWING

Who you see,
and how to check.

These points come from GDC guidance. They are not a recommendation to see any particular professional; a practice can tell you how its own team works.

Look the person up
The GDC's online registers, updated daily, let anyone search by name, town or registration number to confirm someone can practise in the UK.
Ask what is offered directly
The GDC expects practices offering direct access to say clearly which treatments are available and how to book with a dental care professional.
Expect a referral when needed
If you need care outside someone's scope, they must refer you to a dentist, explain why and record your consent.
Know where to raise concerns
Serious concerns about a dental professional go to the GDC. Concerns about how a practice is run go to the health and care regulator where you live, such as the CQC in England.

A dental technician's workbench with a plaster model of teeth, a partly finished denture and small carving tools under a lamp — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

Gloved hands holding a dental mirror and a scaling instrument above a neat tray of tools at a dental hygiene appointment — AI-generated image, not a photograph of a real person or place.

TITLES ARE PROTECTED

Registered
before they practise.

The GDC says it is illegal to practise dentistry in the UK before a registration number is issued. Titles such as dentist, dental nurse and dental hygienist are protected, and the GDC asks people to report anyone using one without being registered.

The GDC also says tooth whitening counts as the practice of dentistry, and should only be done after a proper assessment by a registered dentist.

Questions

Questions people ask

Is a dental hygienist the same as a dental therapist?

No. Both focus on prevention and gum disease, but GDC guidance says therapists can also do direct fillings and, on baby teeth, pulpotomies, extractions and pre-formed crowns. Hygienists do not do permanent fillings or extract teeth.

Can I book a hygienist without seeing a dentist?

GDC guidance allows hygienists and therapists to see patients directly, without a dentist's referral, for their full scope except tooth whitening. Whether a particular practice offers this is up to the practice.

What does a dental nurse do?

GDC guidance lists supporting patients and colleagues during treatment, infection prevention and control, preparing equipment, keeping records and giving oral health advice. Dental nurses do not diagnose disease or plan treatment.

What is an orthodontic therapist?

They carry out parts of orthodontic treatment, such as fitting and removing brace components, under the prescription of an orthodontist or suitably trained dentist, and do not take responsibility for the progress of treatment.

How do I check someone is registered?

Search the GDC's online registers by name, town or GDC registration number. The GDC says the registers are updated daily, but they do not show whether someone works in the NHS or privately.

Seven roles,
one team.