DENTAL FOUNDATION TRAINING

Dental Foundation Training is a oneyear vocational training programme after Dental school. It’s purpose is to “enhance clinical and administrative competence and promote high standards through relevant postgraduate training and meet the needs of general dental practice in the NHS”.

Foundation Dentists spend a year in approved practices undertaking training. It introduces gradate dentists to general dental practice under the supervision of an experienced dentist ‘educational supervisor’ . In some practices, two dentists share this role. The ESs provide supervision, help where needed, and deliver tutorials.

The two groups attend a number of courses online, at Cambridge and at Ipswich. Ipswich provides the hands on teaching courses, covering topics such as Oral surgery and Prosthetics. This helps them if they want to select a specialty and reinforce practical skills that they may not have covered since their degree course.

“Explanations were excellent and detailed. Tasks were well demonstrated and explained. Feedback and evaluations of tasks were invaluable. All staff extremely were approachable, friendly and knowledgeable. I liked the fact that the course was very hands-on, with valuable feedback being given, along with demonstrations.”

“The hands-on portion of removing bone, raising flaps and sectioning teeth was extremely relevant and useful as I had not done any surgical extractions at university.”

“The lecturers are really useful and it was amazing to also look into some of the real life cases that they carried out on their own patients.”