Orthodontic therapists - has their introduction affected outcomes?

Objective To assess the effect of the introduction of orthodontic therapists (OTs) on the quality of orthodontic treatment outcomes in two specialist orthodontic practices in the UK.Study design Retrospective cross sectional observational study.Setting Multi-centre evaluation at two specialist orthodontic practices in Yorkshire. Data collection was carried out during 2014.Materials and methods The treatment undertaken by three specialist orthodontic clinicians (A, B and C) was evaluated at two time points. The first time point (T1) was before the introduction of OTs when the specialist orthodontic clinicians were solo operators. The second time point (T2) followed the introduction of OTs. Patients at T2 had their treatment planned by a specialist orthodontist and were seen for care by both the orthodontist and an OT who had been qualified for a minimum of three years. A sample size of 30 orthodontic patients per clinician at each time point was chosen. Included participants had completed a course of fixed appliance therapy. They were consecutively selected from cases that had been completed in the specified time frame for each clinician.Main outcome measures The quality of treatment was assessed objectively using the quantitative Peer Assessment Rating index (PAR index). Data extracted from the specialist practice databases also allowed conclusions to be drawn about the length of treatment time and number of appointments in each treatment group.Results and conclusions There appears to have been no change in orthodontic treatment outcomes following the introduction of supervised OTs at two specialist orthodontic practices.