If you have made the decision to work as a dentist in the UK, you will first need to ensure you comply with all the requirements before you begin work. In order to do this, you will need to obtain the following:
- You must register to work as a dentist with the General Dental Council (GDC), which regulates dental professionals in the UK. You can register with the GDC by visiting its website at http://www.gdc-uk.org/.
- You will need to obtain Professional Indemnity Insurance. This can be arranged via a number of insurance providers, and we recommend that you start your search by visiting Dental Protection at http://www.dentalprotection.org/uk/home and the DDU at http://www.theddu.com/.
- If you want to work within the NHS, you will need to obtain a dental performer number. You can read more about this on the Royal College of Surgeons website (https://www.rcseng.ac.uk/fds/nacpde/eea-qualified/gdc-requirements).
- You will also need to have an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Until 1st December 2012, these were known as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks. These are often required by licensing bodies and employers in various industries in the UK, and you can find out more details about how to arrange yours by visiting the Gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/overview.
- You will also need to provide evidence that you have received your immunisations for Hepatitis B and childhood illnesses in order to work as a dentist in the UK.
- You should also register as self-employed with the Inland Revenue if you are a sole trader or partner, before you can work in the UK. Registration can be arranged by visiting the Gov.uk site at https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself/what-you-need-to-do.
You will need all of the above before you start to work as a dentist in the UK.
Once you begin working as a dentist in the UK, you are required to undertake regular Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training. You can arrange your training through Tempdent, and we provide a large selection of CPD courses that you can take either in-house at your practice or at Tempdent's training centre.
Non-EU qualified dentists will need to achieve the Overseas Registration
Examination (ORE) prior to being eligible for full GDC registration. To find out more about this exam, please visit the GDC website at www.gdc-uk.org.
It can take in excess of 12 months to complete the ORE. Because of this, many dentists choose to work as a dental nurse while they are studying towards it.
Due to the Statutory Registration of Dental Nurses, anyone wishing to work as a dental nurse must either be registered with the GDC or working towards their dental nursing qualification.
If you are a non-EU dentist wishing to work as a dental nurse at Tempdent and you do not have previous dental nursing experience, you must join our specialised 3-day course for overseas qualified dentists. This will provide you with the necessary basic underpinning skills of dental nursing, known as the Dental Nursing Familiarisation course for Overseas Dentists.
In addition to this course, you must be enrolled in or working towards the National Diploma in Dental Nursing Qualification.
For more information, please contact the training team or click here to request a call back.
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