Minimum intervention oral care - incentivising preventive management of high-needs/high caries-risk patients using phased courses of treatment.

This paper demonstrates how person-focused, prevention-based, risk/needs-related, team-delivered, minimum intervention oral care (MIOC) principles and approaches can be integrated into the dental profession for the delivery of environmentally sustainable, optimal care to high-needs and high caries-risk/susceptibility patients. It highlights the potential for NHS remuneration for prevention-based, phased, personalised care pathways/plans (PCPs) within a reformed NHS dental contract system. It emphasises the importance of comprehensive and longitudinal patient risk/susceptibility assessments, prevention and stabilisation of the oral environment before considering more complex, definitive restorative work.