DT News - UK - Experts say simpler dental surgeries should be conducted locally

Dental Tribune UK

Thu. 17 January 2019

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LONDON, UK: The latest national report from the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme has called for an investigation into why more simple surgical procedures, such as third molar removal, are not being conducted outside of hospitals, thereby freeing up their resources.

The report was a review into oral and maxillofacial surgery trends across England and was led by Dr Maire Morton, a general oral and maxillofacial surgeon, for GIRFT, a national programme funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. The review team looked at data from 76 hospital trusts and met with more than 2,000 surgeons, clinicians, support staff and trust managers.

Many oral and maxillofacial units are carrying out high volumes of surgery, according to the GIRFT report, and a significant proportion of these procedures could be performed in a more appropriate setting. The report recommended that many third molar removals, for example, could take place at a general dental practice instead and allow for these units’ resources to be used optimally.

Another recommendation of the report was for a standardised protocol to be introduced across England in an attempt to reduce variations in the number of follow-up appointments after surgery. In addition, the report highlighted the need for an improvement in the quality of data. Though 127 hospitals in England were identified as carrying out oral and maxillofacial surgeries, there was a distinct lack of consistency in coding and no unilateral set of clinical outcome measures regarding surgical procedures.

Speaking with the British Dental Journal, Morton said: “Our review has shone a light onto the specialty and allowed us to discuss the difficult issues that underlie variation in care pathways in oral and maxillofacial surgery, some of which add cost while adding no value to the individual patient.”

Dr Ian Martin, immediate past President of the British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, added: “It is crucial that oral and maxillofacial surgeons have access to good quality and timely data to deliver high-quality, patient-focused services. I am pleased that a series of recommendations in the review support this.”

The review, titled Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: GIRFT Programme National Specialty Report, is available for viewing here.

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