Patients in Yorkshire and the Humber region who need braces fitting on their teeth are getting quicker, tailor-made care, thanks to a new kind of orthodontist professional being trained by Bradford specialists.

The first training courses in Britain for orthodontist therapists, which are a type of ‘super trained’ assistant, was set up by St Luke’s consultant orthodontist Simon Littlewood and his colleague, Trevor Hodge in 2007.

The therapists are qualified to carry out orthodontic work under supervision so more people can be seen at any one time, receiving high quality treatment, quicker.

Thanks to the introduction of these innovative ways of working the orthodontic department at St Luke’s Hospital has become a trail blazer nationally.

Consultant Orthodontist, Simon Littlewood, said: “The real benefit is to patients, they now see a regular therapist, who knows them and their condition very well, they get more one to one time and this helps them to get the advice and treatment they need and also helps them to avoid repeat visits to the clinic.

“The orthodontic therapists who go through the course held at Leeds Dental Institute work with patients who need to have corrective braces fitted, they help fit them, adjust them when they need it and finally remove them when the time comes.
“This is also allowing us to reduce waiting times and enabling us to provide a more efficient service without increasing our costs.”

The college course, which takes place in Leeds,  is now in its fourth year and to date 32 orthodontist therapists have graduated and are working within the NHS.