Care pathways: challenges and opportunities for restorative dentistry

摘要

In the future, dental care in England, both in the primary and secondary sectors, will be delivered increasingly via care pathways. A care pathway describes in detail a patient's journey from referral to treatment, review and subsequent recall if required. It provides for the right person treating the right patients at the right time for the right condition in the right situation. It is the intention at a central National Health Service (NHS) level that these pathways will operate in managed clinical networks that will be consultant and/or specialist led. There are already several successful pilots running in England. A good example is the periodontic and endodontic service provided by three enhanced practitioners in the Bradford and Airedale primary care trust (PCT).