Introducing the Adults Not At Risk orange pathway to complement the Was Not Brought toolkit.

Area of Science:

• Dental Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Existing Was Not Brought (WNB) pathways address missed dental appointments for children, young people (CYP), and vulnerable adults.
• A gap existed for a standardized pathway for adults not at risk (ANAR) missing appointments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a standardized pathway for ANAR patients who miss dental appointments.
• To evaluate the effectiveness and staff reception of the new pathway.

Main Methods:

• A service review was conducted within the Worcestershire Community Dental Service.
• An "orange pathway" and a missed appointment record log were developed and implemented.
• Staff feedback was gathered via an evaluation questionnaire.

Main Results:

• The developed orange pathway received positive staff feedback, noted for its completeness.
• The pathway successfully included the entire patient cohort, addressing the identified gap.
• Implementation was positive and collaborative with existing WNB pathways.

Conclusions:

• A dedicated pathway for ANAR patients is essential for standardizing responses to missed dental appointments.
• The implemented orange pathway has positively impacted service delivery.
• Wider adoption of WNB pathways, including the orange pathway, can promote national standardization in healthcare services.