What’s the difference between a Periodontist and an Orthodontist?  What can a Cosmetic Dentist do that a Hygienist can’t? And why might you need a Maxillofacial Surgeon?  It’s easy to think that we know what a Dentist does, but unless you have ever had need of their skills, you might be underestimating the entire profession.

Let’s start with becoming a Dentist.  It perhaps goes without saying that, to succeed in dentistry, you need to be prepared to root around in other people’s mouths; you can’t be squeamish about the idea of giving injections or drilling out a cavity.  But, beyond that, what other skills or characteristics do you need? 

Perhaps most important are communication skills. You need to be able to explain to patients from all walks of life the diagnosis or treatment.  An interest in people and their wellbeing is very helpful.  You need to have a calm, reassuring manner.  You will need to be good with your hands; you’ll often be working with very small tools in even smaller places, so good dexterity is a definite advantage. And you will need to be pretty organised when it comes to paperwork and admin; accurate and up-to-date patient records are vital to ensure correct diagnosis and treatment.  As you progress in your career, you may also need management skills, to run a practice or manage a team around you.  The good news is that many of these abilities you can learn and develop.

For most people working as Dentists or dental specialists, they will have started their training with a degree in dentistry.  The number of places available to study dentistry at UK Universities is regulated by the government.  The intake target for 2019 was 809 students across 11 universities, which makes competition for places high.  It’s not unusual for Universities to ask for 144 UCAS points (three A grades at A Level), with Biology, Chemistry and Maths being preferred subjects.

A dental degree typically lasts five years and you’ll usually gain either a BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) or a BChD (Baccalaureus Chirurgiae Dental – that’s Latin for Bachelor of Dental Surgery!) qualification.  A few University dental schools offer a four-year course for students with appropriate prior qualifications, such as a degree in Biomedical Science.

Once you’ve completed your degree, if you want to work as a Dentist, you need to register with the General Dental Council, the profession’s governing body who specify ethical guidelines and codes of practice that all dentists must follow in order to practice in the UK, including a requirement for Continuous Professional Development (CPD).  Most UK dental graduates will then go on to complete their Dental Foundation Training (DFT), which involves a year employed in a dental practice, combining supervised experience with further studies.  Dentists who want to work in the NHS must have completed this training.

Having completed the DFT, there are a number of choices a dentist can make.  Most will go on to work in a dental practice offering a mix of NHS and private treatments.  Some may work in a hospital or the community; there are also opportunities for dentists in the Armed Forces or a corporate organisation. Further studies are possible to specialise in a particular aspect of the profession, such as oral surgery, periodontics or sedation.

At present, consultant posts within NHS Trusts are usually available only to those who have completed a full 5-year training programme in Restorative Dentistry.

To qualify as a dentist does take time and hard work, but it can see great financial rewards.  Lots of people work alongside dentists or within the profession, not all of whom will have required degree-level study.  Here’s our summary of some of them:

Cosmetic Dentist

While all Dentists and Dental specialists are concerned with the appearance of your teeth, Cosmetic Dentists specialise in improving your smile.  They may use less invasive aids, such as braces, crowns or veneers, but they may also use more surgical techniques, such as dental implants, tooth contouring or gum surgery.

Cosmetic Dentists will qualify as Dentists first, then choose to specialise in cosmetic treatments.  There is currently no requirement to undertake specific training for this but membership of a professional body, such as the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, is very helpful in order to keep up with developments.

Dental Nurse

Provide support with treatment including responsibility for the decontamination of instruments, looking after patient and keeping the surgery ready for use.

With extra training, they also take x-rays, take impressions, make models of teeth and apply fluoride varnish.

You can usually work as a trainee dental nurse without academic qualifications but, to be a qualified dental nurse, you will need to study for a course in dental nursing that is approved by the GDC, or complete an Advanced Apprenticeship (Level 3) in dental nursing. 

Dental Receptionist

The Receptionist is likely to be the ‘face’ of the business so great people and customer service skills will be essential.  They may assist with admin and record keeping too, so being organised and understanding patient confidentially will be very important too.

Varies by organisation but a background in administration or customer service will be helpful.

Dental Therapist

Carry out a range of routine dental work such as scaling and polishing, fissure seals, taking dental radiographs (x-rays), giving dental analgesia or sedation, taking impressions, tooth whitening and providing dental health education. 

After A Levels, a qualification such as a Diploma of Dental Hygiene (2 years) or Degree in Dental Therapy (3 years).

You must be GDC registered.

Endodontist

Endodontists are skilled at treating infections at the centre of the tooth (the root canal), alleviating pain and often saving a tooth that might otherwise have to be removed. While all dentists are trained in root canals, an Endodontist will have studied for an additional two or three years in this specialism, and will be highly skilled in diagnosing and treating the most difficult cases.

Applicants need an undergraduate dental qualification (i.e. BDS, or equivalent from a recognised institution) and have a minimum of two years experience post-qualification. The standard pathway for specialist training in endodontology involves the following:

3 year full time training programme comprising clinical, research and academic activity; internal exams within your chosen study institution; and completion of the MEndo/MRD in one of the Royal Colleges. You will then be required to register as an Endodontist.

Hygienist

Prevent and treat gum disease to help preserve teeth.  They carry out procedures such as scaling and polishing teeth (at times under local anaesthetic), and applying topical fluoride and fissure sealants. Many dental hygienists also lead teams of oral health educators.

After A Levels or a recognised dental nursing qualification, you need to take a course approved by the GDC. You must be GDC registered.

Maxillofacial Surgeon

Consultants in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) deal with the diagnosis and treatment of patients with diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck.  They work with patients of all ages, from children with a cleft palate, to adults perhaps following injury or with oral cancers and skin tumours of the face and head.

In addition to performing surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgeons also deal with the non-surgical management of conditions such as facial pain and infections.

To enter higher training, you need to be qualified in both medicine and dentistry since many of the conditions treated require expertise from both fields. This requirement for dual qualification is recognised by the EU and makes OMFS unique amongst the 10 surgical specialties in the UK.

Most OMFS specialists are dentists first, but an increasing number of surgeons are coming from a medical background and taking advantage of shortened dental courses.

Orthodontist

The branch of dentistry concerned with the growth of the face, the development of teeth and jaws and the correction and prevention of abnormalities. They will typically take x-rays and bite impressions and fit braces or retainers.

Having obtained a degree in dentistry and gained work experience, you will need to complete the 3-year orthodontic training scheme and pass the Membership in Orthodontics examination (MOrth). Trainees usually also study for a higher degree, such as a Master of Science (MSc), Master of Clinical Dentistry in Orthodontics (MClinDent) or Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS).

Periodontist

Periodontics is the field of dentistry concerned with maintaining the health of your gums and supporting structures, including treating and preventing gum disease. They will use both medical treatment and surgical interventions when required to help your gum and oral health.  All Dentists are experienced in gum health but may refer to you a Periodontist for specialist or complex issues.

Following qualification as a Dentist, the standard training/qualification route for Periodontists in the UK will be completion of a Periodontics training programme which includes completion of training period of 3 years full-time, including clinical, academic and research aspects and completion of the Speciality Membership Examination in Periodontics.