Dental Recruitment

Dental Foundation Training

Recruitment to Dental Foundation Training is undertaken nationally.

Please visit the NHS England website for further information to include timelines and eligibility information Applicant guide | Dental Hub.

For further information in relation to Dental Foundation Training please visit the COPDEND website, Home - COPDEND.

For more information on Dental Foundation Training within Northern Ireland please visit Dental Foundation Training.

The Dental Foundation Training Team can be contacted on dentalfoundation.nimdta@hscni.net

Academic Dental Foundation Training

Applications are now open for our Academic Dental Foundation Training post. To be eligible, applicants must have undertaken recruitment to Dental Foundation Training for the September 2025 intake. Additionally, applicants must have full GDC registration by 1^st September 2025.

This post is ideal for new graduate dentists considering an academic career, offering opportunities to gain research experience. If you are successful in being offered an academic DFT post and subsequently accept, you will be withdrawn from the main round of DFT offers.

For additional information and to apply, please visit the Oriel website

The Dental Core Training (DCT) national application process is now open. The application process will be conducted via the Oriel platform. For enquiries in relation to this recruitment process please email DCTNRO@hee.nhs.uk.

All applications should be made via the Oriel Platform Oriel – Home.

Please see attached post descriptors and additional information on DCT posts at NIMDTA.

Further Information For DCT Recruitment 2025-26

Why Choose Dental Core Training As A Career

Belfast Trust 2 Year Longitudinal OS OM OMFS DCT1 & DCT2

Belfast Trust Restorative Paediatric DCT1

Belfast Trust Paeds Ortho DCT1

Belfast Trust OS, OM DCT1

Belfast Trust Paeds Ortho DCT2

Belfast Trust Restorative Special Care DCT2

Belfast Trust OS, OM DCT3

Belfast Trust Restorative Special Care DCT3

SE Trust OMFS CDS DCT1

SE Trust 2 Year Longitudinal OMFS DCT1 & DCT2

SE Trust OMFS DCT1

SE Trust OMFS DCT2

SE Trust OMFS Ortho DCT2

Western Trust 2 Year Longitudinal OMFS, OS & OM DCT1 & DCT2

Western Trust OMFS Ortho DCT1

Western Trust OMFS Ortho DCT2

Western Trust OMFS DCT2

Western Trust OMFS DCT3

For further information in relation to DCT recruitment please visit the following link: Dental Core Training (DCT) | dental.hee.nhs.uk.

The National Certification of Equivalence to Dental Core Training Year 2 Competencies

A process has been developed to facilitate applications to Specialty Training posts from individuals who have not followed a standard UK training pathway (Dental Foundation, Dental Core Training). The process can also be used by applicants for DCT3 posts if they have not already undertaken a DCT2 post.

For further information on this process please visit Dental DCT2 Equivalence | NHS Education for Scotland

Applications for Dental Specialty Training posts should be made through Oriel - Home where you will also find post information.

For further information in relation to Dental Specialty recruitment please visit the NHS England website, Dental Specialty Training (DST) | Dental Hub.

Further information regarding Dental Specialty Training can be found at Home - COPDEND.

The National Certification of Equivalence to Dental Core Training Year 2 Competencies

A process has been developed to facilitate applications to Specialty Training posts from individuals who have not followed a standard UK training pathway (Dental Foundation, Dental Core Training). The process can also be used by applicants for DCT3 posts if they have not already undertaken a DCT2 post.

For further information on this process please visit Dental DCT2 Equivalence | NHS Education for Scotland.

For further information in relation to national Specialty training posts, to include timelines and Person Specifications, please visit the Dental Specialty Training hub.

Please see attached job descriptions for posts starting in September 2025.

Restorative Dentistry - Dental Specialty Trainee (DST) ST1

Educational Supervisor Recruitment is now closed. It is anticipated applications will re-open in January 2026.

For information on the role of Educational Supervisors in Dental Foundation Training please refer to the below Applicants Guide:

Applicants Guide 2025-2026

Further Information

Please contact the Dental Foundation Team by email at DentalFoundation.nimdta@hscni.net if you require any further information.

Applicants will be required to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work status and complete a right to work check. 

Further information about this requirement will be forwarded in due course by the Professional Support and Wellbeing team. 

All trainees requiring sponsorship under the Skilled Worker Route must complete an ‘Application for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS)’, which can be accessed at Immigration (nimdta.gov.uk. 

If you have any queries in relation to sponsorship, please contact immigration.nimdta@hscni.net