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Orthodontics
General Information
Orthodontics is concerned with facial growth, development of the dentition and occlusion and with the diagnosis, interception and treatment of occlusal anomalies.
Aims of orthodontic service at St Luke’s Hospital
- Provide orthodontic advice for any patient referred to the department (including those referred from specialist orthodontic practitioners)
- Provide high quality treatment for those patients with severe and/or handicapping malocclusions
- Provide postgraduate training and continuing professional education in orthodontics
- Involvement in research and clinical governance to improve the standard of orthodontic patient care
In the hospital service much of the work of the orthodontic department is multidisciplinary involving a number of other specialities including oral and maxillofacial surgery, cleft surgery, plastic surgery, paediatrics and restorative dentistry.
The orthodontic department is based in level 0, in the Horton Wing at St Luke’s Hospital. The unit has a significant national profile for quality of clinical care, teaching and research. All of the consultants have published widely in scientific journals and have authored two of the most popular dental and orthodontic text books.
Service provision
Referrals to the service are welcomed from:
- General dental practitioner
- Other Hospital departments
- Community dental officer
- Specialist orthodontic practitioners
The department also accepts transfer cases from other hospital orthodontic departments.
We provide services including:
- Interdisciplinary management jointly with maxillofacial surgery for patients whose treatment involves jaw surgery (lead - Mr Simon Littlewood)
- Interdisciplinary management of cleft lip and palate patients (lead – Mrs Laura Mitchell) for Bradford, Airedale, Huddersfield and Halifax)
- Interdisciplinary sleep service (lead – Mr Simon Littlewood)
- Treatment for patients with handicapping malocclusions. A full range of fixed, functional, extra-oral and removable appliance techniques are offered
- Teaching and training
Our Staff
There are three consultants all of whom currently also provide services at Airedale General Hospital. All the consultants have honorary contracts with Leeds University and provide teaching at Leeds Dental Institute.
Additional clinical staff is made up of two senior specialist registrars, two specialist registrars, one orthodontist, two clinical assistants one trainee orthodontic therapist and one dental hygienist.
Our support staff include one chief orthodontic technician, two technicians, three registered dental nurses, three registered dental nurses, three receptionists and three secretaries.
Clinical audit/clinical governance
All clinical staff actively participate in orthodontic clinical audit, locally, regionally and nationally. Emphasis is given to clinical effectiveness and improving patient satisfaction. Regular clinical governance meetings are held to improve communication, patient care and to disseminate the results of audit. Completed audits are presented locally and regionally.
Teaching, Training and Research
The department is committed to a high standard of postgraduate teaching and continuing professional education in orthodontics. The orthodontic consultants are involved in postgraduate teaching of junior hospital staff, general dental practitioners, community dental officers and specialist practitioners – both clinically and in the form of course, lectures and seminars. The department takes an active role in clinical research in a variety of orthodontic areas.
Access to service
Routine referrals are accepted by post, email or fax. The department complies with the requirements to see all new referrals within the 13 week target.
