Frequently Asked Questions about Equine Dentistry in the UK

The following is a list of questions and answers regarding equine dentistry in the UK. If you have any further questions please contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions – Equine Dental Technicians

(some reproduced with kind permission from BEVA)

What is an Equine Dental Technician?

An Equine Dental Technician, or EDT is the name given to a lay person who is performing equine dentistry. The term 'dentist' ('horse dentist', 'equine dentist' etc) should not be used as it is strictly  for use only by human dentists, i.e. those with a human dentistry university degree qualification.

How do I know if an EDT is suitably qualified?

There are increasing numbers of properly qualified EDT's throughout the country, however there are still many unqualified persons practising equine dentistry to a variety of standards.  The BAEDT (British Association of Equine Dental Technicians) has a list of members who have passed the joint BAEDT/BEVA examination and who keep their membership up to date. The list can be found at www.baedt.com

Can an EDT do everything that a vet can do?

The law states that any person may perform the basics of equine dentistry e.g. examination and rasping of sharp edges (see later Q's for description of categories of procedures). More advanced procedures however can only be performed by veterinary surgeons e.g. incising the gum to extract teeth. 

There is a new government 'exemption order' that may be passed that will allow properly qualified EDT's to perform some of the procedures that at present only vets may perform (see below).  

Sedatives, pain killers, antibiotics, tetanus prophylaxis or any other prescription drugs may only be administered by a veterinary surgeon and that will not be altered in the new legislation.

Can a vet do everything that an EDT can do?

All vets receive a certain amount of training in equine dentistry during their university degree course. However, some vets do not follow this up with further training and may not be as skilled as some EDT's with regard to basic equine dental procedures. Other vets however, such as at The Barn Equine Surgery take a special interest in equine dentistry and train to a very high standard offering their clients a full 'in house' equine dental service.

2). Can you explain the different categories of equine dental procedures to me?

The law in Britain on equine dentistry (covered in The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966) clearly specifies which equine dental procedures lay people can perform and which can only be carried out by registered veterinary surgeons. The current law, which will not be affected by new legislation due to be passed shortly, allows certain designated routine equine dental procedures which are not considered to be acts of veterinary surgery to be performed by lay-people whether they are trained or not. These are termed:

Category 1 Equine Dental Procedures and include:

* The examination of equine teeth
* Routine rasping (excluding the use of power dental tools)
* Removal of sharp enamel points and small dental overgrowths (less than 5mm high and involving less than half of the tooth’s occlusal surface) with manual rasps
* Removal of digitally (finger) loose deciduous cheek teeth (“caps”)
* Removal of calculus which lies above the gum line.

A further group of procedures have recently been designated as advanced dental procedures. These procedures are at present deemed to be acts of veterinary surgery but are currently being deregulated by The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) who are amending the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966. This deregulation will legally allow certain defined procedures to be performed by qualified EDTs who have passed the BVDA/BVDA EDT examination. These advanced equine dental procedures are termed:

Category 2 Equine Dental Procedures and include:

* Extraction of loose teeth with negligible periodontal attachment , including both cheek teeth and incisors, including deciduous cheek teeth or teeth suffering from advanced periodontal disease. However teeth which have been loosened by trauma must have further investigation performed by a veterinary surgeon – including x-rays if necessary – before being extracted
* Extraction of normal, fully erupted and non-displaced wolf teeth in the upper jaw only and under direct and continuous veterinary supervision
* Removal of large dental overgrowths (over 5mm tall and involving over 50% of the occlusal surface of the tooth) and overgrowths over 5mm tall of the whole occlusal surface
* Extraction of dental fragments and palliative rasping of fractured and adjacent teeth

Many of these advanced dental procedures will require sedation of the horse, which can only be performed by a veterinary surgeon. Additionally, many cases will require tetanus prophylaxis, analgesics, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic treatment following the above dental procedures. These drugs can only be administered or dispensed by a veterinary surgeon.

Certain equine dental procedures will not be deregulated to equine dental technicians and these procedures can at the present, and in the future only be performed by veterinary surgeons. These are termed:

Category 3 Equine Dental Procedures and include:

* Any procedure which involves making an incision (except elevation of the gum for the purpose of intra-oral extraction of teeth under veterinary supervision)
* Extraction of teeth by repulsion, or lateral buccotomy
* Endodontics (root canal treatment)
* Orthodontics (e.g. bracing parrot mouths)
* Repair of mandibular fractures. 

3). Where can I train to be formally recognised as an EDT in this country?

The BEVA currently only recognises those EDTs who have passed the BEVA/BVDA exam.

Training can be obtained formally by undertaking a 3-year degree course for example at Hartpury College www.hartpury.ac.uk. This will cover the theoretical side of the work and successful attainment of the degree will exempt you from the theoretical part of the BEVA/BVDA exam. Practical experience has to be obtained outside the course, working with other qualified EDTs.

The BAEDT have a list of EDTs willing to assist trainees and also run introductory courses in equine dentistry and BEVA provide a 2 day Advanced Theoretical EDT Course which must be attended as part of the entry requirements to sit the BEVA/BVDA exam. This is to help prepare for the theoretical part of the exam.

4). I have heard about various colleges who run dentistry courses in the UK and in the USA. Are these courses suitable to train at?

Answered in 1) and 3)

5) I have trained as an EDT in the USA/Australia. Am I formally recognised in the UK?

No (see details on legal position in section 2.) There are many people who have undertaken formal and informal EDT training and built up experience over many years who only wish to remain as competent “tooth raspers” i.e undertake only Category 1 procedures as detailed in section 2. These people are working within the law. It is strongly advised that they should build up a working relationship with the veterinary practices in their area so that when referral for more advanced dental work is necessary or sedation is required for routine rasping there is good cooperation between all parties involved.

To undertake any other procedures in the UK at present you must have passed the BEVA/BVDA equine dentistry exam. However until there is an exemption order to the Veterinary Surgeons Act with regards to equine dentistry then even having passed the BEVA/BVDA exam means only category 1 procedures may be carried out. (See question 7). However the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has indicated that whilst waiting for the relevant legislation to be passed, it will not seek prosecution of BEVA/BVDA qualified EDTs performing category 2 procedures on horses which have overall care by a veterinary surgeon – or similar.

6). Can you recommend any EDTs who would be willing to accept an apprentice?

Please contact the BAEDT www.equinedentistry.org.uk

7). I understand that there is a DEFRA exemption order for EDTs being finalised. When will this law be passed and will this mean I cannot practice without taking an exam?

The draft legislation has been with the DEFRA lawyers for many months now. We have been promised that it will be finalised shortly but other legislative work has continually delayed this final hurdle. The BEVA continually ask for updates on the progress of the exemption order.

Until this exemption order has become law it is only lawful for veterinary surgeons to carry out the more advanced category 2 and 3 procedures. (see Q 2 and 5).

8). If I attend the BEVA Advanced Theoretical Equine Dental Technician Course will I be formally recognised as an EDT?

No. You have to pass the BEVA/BVDA equine dental exam to legally be able to carry out procedures other than those in category 1 (see section 2).

Download Advanced EDT course registration forms here

9) I have heard of qualified EDTs that sedate horses and inject local anaesthetics – is this legal?

No –In the UK only veterinary surgeons can legally sedate (by injection or oral paste) or inject local anaesthetics. Therefore it is illegal for non-veterinarians to even possess such drugs. Possibly fatal side effects can occur with sedatives, particularly when used by personnel not trained in their use and dealing with their side effects.

It is also important to realise that because use of sedatives, local anaesthetics and indeed antibiotics by non-veterinarians ARE illegal acts, the insurance on any horses having such drugs administered will be fully invalidated and any injury caused to the horse by an EDT, or further veterinary treatments that may be required, or even death of the horse during such illegal acts will not be covered by the owners insurance policy. Injury to clients or bystanders during such illegal acts would also not be insured by the EDTs insurance – if any were in place. 

10). I am interested in taking the BEVA/BVDA exam. How do I obtain a place and what are the requirements for this exam?

In order to sit the BEVA/BVDA examination candidates must write formally to the BEVA office expressing their desire to sit the exam and provide the following;

a. A CV and two veterinary references

b. A case log (dental charts) of 300 dental cases. These dental charts will have to include 40 dental charts of more advanced dental procedures taking place under sedation and signed by a vet. (BEVA reserve the right to contact clients or veterinary surgeons involved in each individual case study to verify the work carried out by the candidate).

c. Have attended the BEVA/BVDA Advanced theoretical EDT course.

d. The candidate must also spend a minimum of five days, within the three months before taking the exam with a BAEDT member or a vet who performs a high amount of equine dental work. The EDT or vet will then be independently asked to sign a form confirming that the candidate is ready to sit this examination. If the BAEDT member or vet does not think the candidate is ready to sit the examination the candidate will be asked to defer sitting the exam at that time. The examiners feel that it is very important that candidates do not sit this examination until they have the correct training and experience to give them the very best chance of passing it at the first attempt.