Spotlight on Community Dental Services – #MyBTH

The dental team based at Whitegate Drive

As part of our #MyBTH campaign, we are highlighting individuals, teams or services that have an important role within the Trust.

Here we look at the role of the Community Dental Services…

The main sites are based in Blackpool’s Whitegate Health Centre and Morecambe Queen Victoria Centre with a number of satellite clinics across these locations.

The team consists of more than 80 staff members with a wide range of skills including; Decontamination Technicians, Receptionists, Administrators, Cadet Co-ordinator, Dental nurses, Dental therapists, Team Leaders, Senior Dental Officers and Clinical Leads.

The team has collectively clocked up over 700 years’ service which Heather Woodburn, Dental Team Leader at Morecambe, said: “It is testament to the commitment of the team and the patient centred care they consistently provide”.

Patients who access the service range from those who have complex medical needs, learning disabilities, elderly, vulnerable adult and children, bariatric patients and those with dental anxiety or phobia.

The team manages daytime emergency services for those with acute pain or trauma. Additionally our Special Care service provides Conscious Sedation, General Anaesthetics, Domiciliary care and Nurse Led Anxiety Management clinics.

The dental team, Morecambe

The service also works in partnership with The University of Central Lancashire to enable Post Graduate students to gain practical skills and knowledge on site at the Dental Education Centres.

Dental Clinical Lead, Kasia Adjetey, said: “I have worked here since 1999 and most of the team have been here a long time too, so we have a wealth of experience. We are very patient focused and we tailor our services to the individual.

“For example, we can work with carers so a child could perhaps have acclimatisation visits, find the best way to give them a pre-med or we may book a treatment in the morning if the child is happier then.

“We also work very closely with other departments so that if a child is referred for surgery for, say, ENT, we can plan that the child with have both dental surgery and another procedure performed at the same time.”

The team also has an Oral Health Educator, who visits schools, nurseries and events to promote oral health and a Dental Cadet Co-ordinator who works closely with Training 2000 and the Trust’s Learning and Development Department.

Kasia added: “We are all about patient management, we think outside of the box to deliver the best experience we can. We have even brought in a dental passport so we can get to know Special Care patients’ likes and dislikes.’’

If you need to find a dentist or have severe toothache, you can ring the Fylde Coast Medical Services helpline on 0300 1234 010. The NHS Choices website is constantly being updated with available dentists to register with.

 

Posted in Home Page, People Centred, Press Releases.