Come and work as a dentist in England

Are you a qualified dentist? Do you want to develop your career – and improve your lifestyle - by working for the National Health Service (NHS) in England? If so, we want you to contact us.

The opportunities for dentists to move to the NHS are excellent. If you are qualified as a dentist and a national of the European Economic Area (EEA), or if you are registered already with the General Dental Council (GDC), then we could have a job for you in the NHS in England.

This website explains why working in the NHS is an excellent opportunity for European dentists, and will let you apply if you want to work here.

This page will tell you what it is like to work as a dentist in the NHS, and the qualifications you will need to be allowed to work here. More information about salaries, holidays, pensions and so on are available towards the bottom of this page.

Opportunities for dentists
There is a wide range of employment options available in England. Dentists working for the NHS typically receive a salary package of approximately £50,000. This may be adjusted to account for the different costs and benefits associated with each position. However, a guaranteed minimum income is provided. A sample job description can be viewed and downloaded for reference. [Local variations may apply].

The Setting
Usually you will work in a local dental practice, owned and run by practicing dentists, or a dental centre set up by a local NHS organisation.

In either case there will usually be several dentists working at the practice, supported by dental nurses and administrative staff.

Patients arriving at the practice will be welcomed by reception staff, who will normally ensure that a patient's records are available for the dentist, and will deal with all the administrative arrangements for making or changing appointments, and for handling payments.

The Dental Workload
Most of the day will be spent dealing with the patients themselves.

Around half of the population in England is registered with a dental practice. Most of these patients visit their dentists every six months or so for a regular check-up, so in most cases the first task of the dentist will be to perform a routine check of the condition of the patient's teeth and identify any causes for concern. Usually the dental nurse will record the results of the check.

After the initial examination, it is usual for the dentist to perform a cleaning and descaling as a matter of routine. In almost a half of all patient visits, no further treatment is needed.

Where problems are found, to aid diagnosis, most practices in England are equipped with facilities for minor X-rays to be developed on the spot. Usually the dental nurse will operate the equipment at the request of the dentist and prepare the results for the dentist to review.

Around a third of patient visits require some sort of minor treatments, such as standard fillings, root fillings, or, less frequently, caps or bridges. These will usually be carried out within the practice, if necessary using local anaesthetics applied by the dentist. A dental nurse will be available to provide support throughout such treatments.

For more significant problems, the dentist may need to refer patients to specialised dental units at hospitals.

At a typical practice, patients will represent the population at large, with a mix of young and older patients, and a representative range of oral health problems.

Qualifying to work in England
The General Dental Council (GDC) is the official organisation responsible for approving dentists to work in the UK. You cannot practice dentistry in the UK unless you are registered with GDC.

You should be able to apply for rapid registration with the GDC provided you are an EEA citizen with appropriate dental qualifications. If you are a non-EEA citizen with appropriate dental qualifications, you may be able to obtain registration through the International Qualifying Exam.

If you believe that you have the right qualifications, and you are interested in working in England, then go to the Apply page to let us know.

From 2005 NHS dentists will receive a guaranteed income instead of being paid on the number of treatments they provide. Generally the salary and benefits will be around £50,000 per year (subject to tax)- the actual amount may vary slightly from post to post.

You will also be offered the financial security and stability of a permanent contract, unlike many other countries.

As well as being able to broaden your experience in a different country, treating patients from all cultures, backgrounds and walks of life, there will be many other ways you can enhance your knowledge and skills, from contact with dental schools and opportunities to teach to membership of professional associations and formal training. Your family will benefit too, with excellent employment opportunities for your spouse or partner and access to good education for your children.