Abstract
The UK hospital dental “consultant” has undergone longer training in the past than the hospital “specialist” in Europe. Now the training is shorter in the UK and more care is being provided outside hospitals where care perceived to be of lower cost. The medically compromised patient requiring dental care is however usually referred to hospital. Many consultants in different dental specialties continue to provide expert knowledge and care, especially oral and maxillofacial surgery consultants, but now there is also a new specialty of “special care dentistry” to complement the traditional specialties offering care.
