Dental teams are our greatest strength, and we cannot achieve our vision for oral health and dental services without their partnership.
Currently dentists provide the majority of NHS dentistry in North Wales. However, a significant proportion of care could be provided by Dental Care Professionals working to the extent of their scope of practice. Whilst it is possible to cite examples of dental teams and services that have harnessed their skill mix to increase the delivery of prevention-led care, we aspire to make this a universal characteristic of dental services in North Wales and it is a key requirement for the North Wales Dental Academy practice in Bangor.
We want to see an increase in the number of hygienists, therapists and dental nurses providing NHS services, working fully to their scope of practice.
Dental Foundation Training
Dental Foundation Training is the first phase of continuing postgraduate education after graduation and is recognised as a part of career pathways in all sections of the dental profession.
Starting September 2022!
There is already a commitment and agreement between BCUHB and Welsh government for two Dental Foundation dentists to be placed into the North Wales Dental Academy practice in Bangor. It is expected that these placements will be for a year and cohorts will change each year. This first placements will commence from September 2022.
The North Wales Dental Academy will support placements and will have the skills and experience to provide the required level of mentorship required to ensure that placements develop their potential and hopefully secure full-time work within North Wales at the end of their time.
Click here to find out more about the Dental Foundation training in North Wales.
Dental Core Training
After completing dental foundation training, dentists can either choose to work in a dental practice or enter dental core training. Dental Core Training offers the opportunity to broaden knowledge and experience within the dental profession and is a recognised career pathway after the completion of Dental Foundation Training (DFT).
North Wales has a Dental Core Training Year 1 (DCT1) Scheme that commence in September of each year. There is a 30-day educational element (study days) covering both hospital and community practice.
The main aims of the scheme are to allow participants to broaden their understanding of the inter-relationship between branches of the profession, enabling a more informed career choice and to further develop their dental expertise and skills, building on previous training received as undergraduates and dental foundation practitioners.
There may also be an opportunity for further career development posts known as Dental Core Training Year 2/3 posts (DCT2 or DCT3). These posts are normally undertaken following completion of training at DFT and DCT1
Dental Clinical Fellow
New and innovative for 2021.
After foundation training, instead of Dental Core Training, this is a separate pathway to consider. Dental Clinical Fellow posts are salaried fixed term contract posts based in General Dental Practice. Each post will comprise 4 days working in a General Dental Practice with a further day available to pursue a funded Postgraduate Certificate qualification and to gain experience within other branches of dentistry (Hospital / Community / Prison Dental Services/ Specialist Practices), depending on what local healthcare needs are.
For further details, please email adrian.thorp@wales.nhs.uk adrian.thorp@wales.nhs.uk
NEBDN Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing
Starting September 2022 in Wrexham is open for applications.
A great opportunity to join the funded training programme delivered by BCUHB North Wales Community Dental.
For more details on the course overview and entry requirements, please download the leaflet and application form.
Dental Nursing – Level 3
Advanced Dental Nursing – Level 4
Level 3 (Dental Nursing) and Level 4 (Advanced Dental Nursing) programmes have been developed by the ‘All Wales Faculty’ using a franchise model with approved education providers. The Full-courses offered by the Faculty are regulated by the General Dental Council (GDC), this means you will be a GDC registered DCP following successful completion. These courses follow a curriculum structure that allows for progression between roles should you wish to advance your career in the future.
Some dental nurse placements will have the opportunity to work at the North Wales Dental Academy practice in Bangor once opened.
Dental Hygienist
HEIW have submitted a bid for Dental Hygienist training to take place in North Wales, which if successful will include 12–15 students trained and placed in the area.
The North Wales Dental Academy would provide options for some student placements and clinical skills training in a centralised location. Benefits of this would include improved local workforce retention and broadened DCPs opportunities through exposure to other areas of clinical practice/education i.e. inter-professional learning.
An update on if the bid was successful is due soon!
Specialty training in dentistry
Click here for more information on Specialty training in dentistry – HEIW
Continuing Professional Development Courses
All Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses on offer to the dental team in North West (Bangor), Central North (Glan Clwyd) and North East Wales (Wrexham) through the Wales Deanery can be seen through the Wales Deanery course booking system, as can all dental CPD courses throughout Wales. See Course Calendar. https://www.maxcourse.co.uk/walesdent/guestHome.asp
Wider training and support from the Deanery for the dental workforce can be seen by checking the Deanery website. https://dental.walesdeanery.org/
Online Training Courses (MOOCs)
The All Wales Faculty (AWFDCP) are building a portfolio of online training courses (MOOCs) aimed at Dental Care Professionals (DCP). These career development programmes are aimed at developing the DCP workforce in key areas aligned to workforce requirements.
For more information visit – All-Wales Faculty for Dental Care Professionals | All MOOC’s (awfdcp.ac.uk)
Opportunity for Co-Development of MOOCS
There is a large opportunity for co-development of MOOCs with expertise recruited to, or affiliated with, the North Wales Dental Academy. Using the current model for MOOC development the All Wales Faculty only need content/curriculum guidance from a subject specialist, and, with that ,they generate articles, animations and podcasts to deliver the content. This model could be the foundation for a larger scale clinical/professional/service series.
If you are a subject specialist and would like to get involved, please get in touch by email: info@awfdcp.ac.uk
Dentist with Special Interests (DwSi) / Dentists with Enhanced Skills (DESs)
There are some exciting future developments with Bangor University which would allow clinicians linked to North Wales Dental Academy to study and be awarded PGCert, Diploma, Masters. The Faculty aim to establish non-registered career pathways for DCPs i.e special interests where Bangor University would award these and the North Wales Dental Academy could utilise the expertise of the trainee throughout the programme.
The anticipated benefits of developing Dentists with Enhanced Skills (DESs) are: increasing patient choice, increasing access to services (and care closer to home), reduction of referrals to secondary care and the development of training pathways and professional development.
More information on these opportunities will be available soon!