Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene

Dental Therapy and Dental Hygiene is a healthcare profession that works at the preventive end of dentistry, focusing on protecting and maintaining oral health rather than on complex restorative or surgical procedures. Dental therapists and hygienists carry out examinations, scale and polish teeth, apply sealants and fluoride treatments, take radiographs, perform simple restorations, and provide education and advice that helps patients maintain healthy mouths across their lives. The oral health of a population is closely connected to its general health, and these professionals play a significant role in reducing the burden of preventable dental disease.

At Cardiff University, one of the UK's leading dental schools, this three-year full-time programme leads to qualification in both dental therapy and dental hygiene, regulated by the General Dental Council. You will study oral biology, anatomy, and pathology alongside the clinical skills of both roles, with substantial supervised clinical practice in Cardiff's dental clinics forming a major part of the experience from early in the degree. Patient communication, health promotion, and the professional and ethical dimensions of dental practice are all covered, preparing you for practice in a regulated healthcare environment.

Graduates register with the General Dental Council and practise in NHS dental practices, private dental clinics, hospital dental departments, community dental services, and increasingly in new care settings as the dental workforce model evolves. The dual qualification is particularly flexible, allowing you to move between different aspects of the role depending on the setting and patient need. Some graduates go on to further study, including the dental surgery degree for those who want to qualify as dentists, postgraduate programmes in dental education, or specialist clinical qualifications.

The profession offers strong job security and opportunities to work across a variety of settings and communities.