Clinical assistant training in orthodontics--how effective is it?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the quantity and the quality of orthodontic treatment carried out by dentists who have completed a 2-year orthodontic clinical assistant training programme. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: During a 12-month period the volume of orthodontic treatments completed by 18 dentists who had participated in a clinical assistant training scheme was analysed. Using study models the initial need for treatment and the outcome of treatment of a consecutive sample of each dentist's completed cases were assessed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: IOTN and PAR indices used by expert examiners. RESULTS: The median number of cases treated by the dentists was 37 with a range of 2 to 488. No significant predictive variables were associated with the higher volume operators. Of the 166 orthodontic cases evaluated 72.9% had a definite dental health need for orthodontic treatment. Following treatment the mean post-treatment PAR score for the whole sample was 9.2 (median = 8.0). Thirteen (72%) of the dentists had an average post-treatment PAR score of 10 or less. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes achieved by the Northern Irish clinical assistants were similar to those reported for other clinical assistant schemes. A significant proportion of the dentists treated a relatively low volume of patients and two of the dentists treated a very high volume of cases.