Dentist aged horse ?younger than expected

burtie

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My boy who I bred myself so I know what age he is lost all his baby teeth around 6-10 months behind the book so could have easily been aged a lot younger by a professional!
 

VictoriaEDT

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Glenruby that applies to EDTs with no recognised qualifications - If BEVA/BVDA qualified (and WWAED) and a member of the BAEDT then they are allowed to perform Cat 2 procedures.

Having said that I know about 90% of non qualified EDTs carry out cat 2 procedures regardless of legislation!

Cant remember who but someone mentioned that there are several exams you can take and the most well known is so easy to get that people dont bother doing it. I know you didnt refer to any specific exam but to set the record straight I did just want to clarify that there are only 2 examinations in the UK that class you as UK qualified.....BEVA and WWAED. Both are incredibly difficult to achieve but I can only base my experiences on gaining the BEVA exam.

It took me 4 years to become qualified and I passed first time. The failure rate is extremely high (about 20 start the exam and only 5ish pass) so I think this is the reason why edts dont bother taking it not because it is too easy and meaningless!
You have to have a massively extensive portfolio to even become eligable for the exam and then you take a theory exam which is degree level knowledge - if you fail that (78% is the pass mark) then you cannot take the practical exam.

There are good and bad EDTs out there and plenty of great up and coming EDTs working towards their exam......lets not tar everyone with the same brush!
 

glenruby

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Thanks for clarifying that. The majority of EDTs we come across are not qualified with BEVA/BAEDT - but that doesnt stop them from carrying out Cat 2 procedures! Having said that I have recently met a very very good BAEDT (female) and we do have 1 good BAEDT in our region and another going through the training for the exam. Unfortunately, there are rather a lot of cowboys around here too - thanks to one of those "colleges".

The BAEDT website doesnt allow me to read past Cat1 procedures on that page - there isnt a scrollbar!

As regards tooth removal - I wasnt referring to removing lose or fractured teeth(which obviously are cat 2) but to removing diseased/otherwise teeth.
 
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sun-shine

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Quite the opposite - EDTs are anticipating legislation being passed allowing them to do more. However they are currently legally only allowed to do Category one procedures - which excludes removing permanent teeth and using motorised equipment. Im surprised as an EDT you werent aware!

Think I'm very aware, my information appears to have been right :D

Stand by what I have said about the exams, one does have a bad rep, and I have been advised by at least 4 dentists not to take it. Doesn't mean I won't. We shall have to agree to disagree :D

BTW Victoria EDT I think I chanced by your website the other day, are they your pones on the front page? Your coloured is gorgeous

Glenruby, just out of interest what is your opinion on the battery powered float that is available? I have heard some dentists are using it for general maintenance without sedation. I assume this would come under power tools in terms of legislation
 
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glenruby

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A lot of EDTs use motor tools without sedation - infact given the number of horses treated by BAEDTs/EDTs in our area and the number of horses we sedate for dentists, I would say most of the work these EDTs do is unsedated. The guys who teach for the BAEDT exam recommend all horses to be sedated for motorised tools. This in practice doesnt happen.
I always sedate for using motorised tools. Yes, they come under power tools. I used to use a HDE but I found it heavy and awkward and the batteries didnt last very well - however ours was quite old. Now I use the Dearson with both the unidisk and applecorer(which is fab!). Light, easy to use and very very quiet! I have used it 2-3times without sedation(horses were in the stocks though). It allows very accurate and precise reduction of focal overgrowths and xs transverse ridges. This is the advantge of power tools they allow you to focus on one tooth and even a part of that tooth whereas ith hand tools it can be impossible to just rasp one tooth without having some effect on the teeth either side. The Dearsonw ould efinitely be my first choice but the Lecler is fairly good and easy to use too.
I have used the Flexidisk which I found quite heavy - its not for me.
 

VictoriaEDT

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Sun-shine thank you yes they are mine and Charlie was the most handsome horse in the world - he meant everything to me. Unfortunately I lost him last March - he will never be forgotten though and I miss him terribly :-(
 

VictoriaEDT

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From the BAEDT:


"Currently in Great Britain, a wide variety of people perform equine dental procedures. Some may be well trained and appropriately qualified Equine Dental Technicians, some may be Veterinary Surgeons, some are both, and some may be very inexperienced people who have had minimal training, but nevertheless perform very advanced dental procedures, sometimes damaging equine teeth. On some occasions they cause serious, even life-threatening injuries to horses’ jaws, mouths and throats. Other people (sometimes referred to as 'tooth raspers' because that is basically all they are legally allowed to do in the UK) just perform simple Category 1 procedures such as rasping off small dental overgrowths.

Category 1 Equine Dental Procedures:
These procedures may be carried out by anyone, irrespective of whether they have undertaken any training or have any qualifications.

*
Examination of teeth
*
Removal of sharp enamel points using manual (hand) floats only
*
Removal of small dental overgrowths (maximum 4mm reductions) using manual rasps only
*
Rostral profiling of the first cheek teeth (maximum 4mm reductions), previously termed ‘bit seat shaping’
*
Removal of loose deciduous caps
*
Removal of supragingival calculus



A further group of procedures has been deemed suitable to be performed by Equine Dental Technicians that have passed a Defra approved examination such as the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) / British Veterinary Dental Association (BVDA) exam. (In order to join the BAEDT, this exam must be passed). At the present time, the BAEDT is the only association for equine dental technicians that the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) endorses, and encourages its members to support. These further procedures are designated as Category 2 procedures and are listed below:



Category 2 Equine Dental Procedures:
These are additional procedures that are suitable for delegation to an EDT who has trained and passed an examination approved by DEFRA:



*
Examination, evaluation and recording of dental abnormalities
*
The extraction of teeth or dental fragments with negligible periodontal attachment.
*
The removal of erupted, non-displaced wolf teeth in the upper or lower jaw.
*
Palliative rasping of fractured and adjacent teeth
*
The use of motorised dental instruments where these are used to reduce dental overgrowths and remove sharp enamel points only. Horses should be sedated unless it is deemed safe to undertake any proposed procedure without sedation, with full informed consent of the owner."
 
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