The full version of this paper was first presented at the Spring Scientific Meeting of the British Association of Community Dentistry. This short communication concerns only that part of it that dealt with the recent interpretation of the 'advocacy' concept in Britain, with the establishment of Leeds City Council Patient's Advocacy Service as its unique manifestation. A case history is presented to illustrate the confusion between the functions of the advocate and those of the traditional interpreter/link worker. Issues which arose from the development of the service are also discussed.