Our programmes attract trainees from all over the country thanks to our reputation for high quality training with well-regarded trainers in a part of the country that is welcoming and vibrant.
Our dental education and training offers excellent support, opportunities and resources throughout your career. As well as four one-year Dental Foundation Training Schemes, our unique two-year General Professional Training Scheme, and Dental Core Training, we offer Speciality Training in several dental specialities – alongside fantastic career development opportunities and career development programmes.
Continuing education and professional development (CPD) is not neglected, as well as a regular programme in core and other CPD topics, we also have an extensive range of post-qualification programmes for dental care professionals.
Many of our programmes are based at the dedicated, state-of-the-art dental education centre at Bourne House near the beautiful city of Durham. This education and training centre gives trainees the opportunity to meet with other dentists and dental care professionals from all over the region.
Our Dental Foundation Training programme really does what it says on the tin and gives you a fantastic ‘foundation’ on which to build your career, offering you the tools, support and confidence you need to develop and grow as a dentist.
Training offers a mix of small group teaching, lectures and lots of hands-on practice. The training for many years now has been at the cutting edge of postgraduate dental training innovation.
General Professional Training (GPT) is a highly successful scheme providing the perfect start to a professional dental career. Our GPT scheme provides a more in-depth approach to postgraduate training and combines primary (DF) and secondary care (DCT1) training in both a training practice and at Newcastle Dental Hospital.
Rotating between one week in general dental practice and one week in a hospital environment provides a challenging and unique experience.
In addition, a full study day programme is arranged in preparation for the Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) examination of the Royal Colleges, the point of competitive entry into higher specialist training – this also has the added bonus of the award of a certificate in sedation.
We currently offer Dental Core Training (DCT) Level 1, 2 and 3 posts, with most posts lasting 1 year. These posts are ideal for those looking to advance their career in this region, whether it is to gain further skills and experience after Dental Foundation Training, or to progress towards specialisation.
Our DCT posts provide experience in a range of settings such as Newcastle Dental Hospital, other hospitals and the Community Dental Service. Several posts involve more than one specialty. We organise a regional teaching programme of study days. There are opportunities to work within the following specialties:
From the hustle and bustle of a busy hospital to management of complex cases, Specialty Training is an exciting careers choice where you can focus your interests and expand your horizons.
Our committed trainers teach in small groups so you’ll always feel part of the team, getting the personal attention needed to hone your skills to become an excellent dentists and clinician.
The majority of our specialty registrars are based at Newcastle Dental Hospital and Newcastle Hospitals Trust although training opportunities exist at other sites for paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, dental public health and special care dentistry including the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle and Community Dental Clinics throughout the region.
Specialties include:
We are proud of our commitment to integrated academic training boasting a high proportion of academic trainees compared with most other deaneries. A number of our specialty registrar posts and Dental Core Training posts are formally linked to an academic training programme at Academic Clinical Fellowship and Clinical Lecturer level. These programmes combine training clinical attachments at Newcastle Dental Hospital with an academic programme based at the adjacent Newcastle University Dental School.
The region offers:
Greig Taylor is a Dental Academic Clinical Fellow he explains why he chose to start his research career journey in the North-East and Cumbria. Find out more about research opportunities available in our region here.
Regardless of which trust you work in, as a specialty trainee in our region you will be employed by a single employer known as the lead employer trust (we call it the LET!).
We are here to make sure your employment, whilst training in the North East and North Cumbria, runs as smoothly as possible. We are hosted by Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Your statutory rights for continuous employment are held by one Trust holding contract of employment and remaining on one payroll system.
We work in partnership with Health Education England North East to ensure you are supported throughout your career. We handle all human resources and payroll matters including payment of travel expenses, study leave expenses and most importantly, making sure you get paid!
We carry out all pre-employment checks and there is a dedicated helpdesk for you throughout your employment should you need to get in touch.
We manage all your statutory rights such as maternity, paternity and special leave. We work closely with all 11 NHS trusts and local general practices to ensure that your rotations go smoothly too.
Nine out of 11 NHS trusts are members of our regional collaborative bank which allows doctors to work additional shifts (at the level in the specialties they have the competence to work in). The system allows you to be paid weekly where your payslips are available on the electronic staff record (ESR) portal (where you will also see your monthly payslip).
Feel free to contact us if you would like to know more or have any questions.
Mary was born and bred in Sheffield, South Yorkshire where she graduated as a dentist in 2012. She then relocated to Newcastle upon Tyne to undertake the sought-after two-year general professional training programme offered by the Northern Deanery. This included experience in a general dental practice, as well as a wide range of hospital experience.
Following this Mary undertook a year in the oral and maxillofacial surgery Department at Sunderland Royal Hospital and Paediatric DCT3 in Birmingham Children’s Hospital. She decided to return to Newcastle upon Tyne to undertake her registrar training in orthodontics.
Mary says: “Newcastle upon Tyne is my favourite city in the UK, it is very vibrant and there is something for everyone including the picturesque and rugged Northumberland, an area of outstanding natural beauty on the doorstep. When I applied for orthodontic national recruitment my first choice was Newcastle Dental Hospital. I really enjoyed my time here during my two-year GPT foundation training and I could not wait to start. The orthodontic staff are very helpful, friendly and supportive to all their trainees and our teaching alongside Newcastle University is excellent.’
For Mary she had prior knowledge of Newcastle that drew her back to the North East for StR training.
“We attend clinics with one other UK trainee and 2 international students, there is a mix of our own patient clinics and consultant-led clinics. I especially enjoy having a range of trainers to teach me different orthodontic techniques which has really enhanced my learning. We have also had a lot of support in preparation for our MOrth examinations.’
There are also lots of opportunities available in Newcastle for other aspects of career development.
“I sit on the panel as junior trainee representative of the specialist training committee and I am secretary for both the North East Odontological Society and North East Orthodontic audit circle.”