Dentistry is a specialised healthcare field that offers a range of rewarding career opportunities. After graduating from dental university, dentists can work for the NHS, in private practice, academia, research, or public health. Additionally, dentistry has several specialised areas, including paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, endodontics, periodontology, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. Dentistry careers offer personal and professional growth opportunities, making it an exciting and fulfilling profession.
Here you can learn all about the different avenues a dentist in the UK can take.
What happens after you graduate from Dental University?
After you graduate from dental university, it is mandatory to complete 1 year as a Dental Foundation Trainee (DFT) to work in the NHS. Dental degrees take 5 years for school-leavers (4 years on accelerated graduate-entry courses), so the typical route from starting your BDS to becoming a fully qualified, NHS-ready dentist takes around 6 years. Before you can begin DFT you must hold a GDC-accredited BDS or BChD degree and register with the General Dental Council (GDC), the profession's regulator.
Dental Foundation Training (DFT) is a structured training program that provides newly qualified dentists with the opportunity to clinical experience with the help of trainers. The DFT program aims to equip dentists with the necessary skills to provide safe, effective, and ethical dental care.
The purpose of DFT is to ease graduates into the working life of dentists after university. It provides foundation dentists (FDs) with the opportunity to understand the NHS system and develop their dental skills whilst in a protected environment.
This involves working in an approved general dental practice treating patients whilst having a trainer(s) for added support. The trainer, otherwise known as an Education Supervisor will be there to supervise the FDs, help whenever needed and provide regular tutorials.
A normal week as a DFT involves working in a general practice treating patients for 4 days and having a study day for 1 day. Foundation Dentists are salaried trainees: from 1 April 2025 the FD salary is set at £42,408 per year across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, paid by the training practice and part-funded by an NHS training grant.
Upon completion of the program, dentists can progress to further training such as being a DCT (Dental Core Trainee) or work in a general dental practice. The Dental Foundation Training program provides an excellent foundation for a successful career in dentistry, and many dentists consider it a valuable investment in their professional development.
If you are still weighing up the profession or working through your application, our wider guide to how to become a dentist and dentistry entry requirements walks through GCSEs, A-levels, the UCAT and the full timeline in detail.
What is DCT (Dental Core Training)?
Dental Core Training (DCT) is a chance for graduates to gain more experience before practising as a dentist. In the UK, there are a variety of specialities available for DCT, including:
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Restorative Dentistry
- Paediatric Dentistry
- Oral Medicine
- Orthodontics
- Periodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Special Care Dentistry
- Oral Pathology
Those wanting to specialise must undertake training as a DCT. You can do a maximum of 3 DCT years with each year either being in a different speciality or the same. The more varied your years, the more experience you can gain.
The benefits of doing a DCT year are:
- Expand knowledge in the chosen speciality
- Develop clinical skills
- Be able to work in a different environment such as hospital/community practices
- Help allows you to pursue speciality training
- Allow you to complete research, audits and present publications or presentations
The drawbacks of a DCT year:
- If you want to be a general dental practitioner, completing a DCT year may deskill you with the clinical skills you have developed as an FD.
- Salary may be lower than as a general dentist
- There are fewer DCT places than DFT places meaning you may not get the location you want.
What is the application process for DCT (dental core training)?
- Check eligibility: Candidates must have a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree, holding a valid registration with the General Dental Council (GDC), and completed DFT (Dental Foundation Training) or equivalent.
- Choose the specialty: Candidates must choose the specialties and rank the locations they wish to apply for and ensure they meet the specific person specifications for each specialty.
- Application form: Candidates must complete an online application form, which typically includes personal information, academic qualifications, work experience, and a personal statement.
- Shortlisting: Candidates who meet the person specifications for their chosen specialties will be shortlisted for a competitive interview.
- Interview: Shortlisted candidates will attend an interview, which may include a clinical scenario and questions related to their chosen specialties / professionalism
- Offer and acceptance: Candidates who are successful in the interview will receive an offer of a place in their chosen specialties. They must then accept the offer and complete pre-employment checks before starting their training.
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What is life as a General Dental Practitioner (GDP) like?
Being a general dentist means you can treat a variety of patients and perform a range of procedures including fillings, root canal treatments, crowns, and even extractions hence a jack of all trades!
As a general dentist, you will need to be able to diagnose and treat the patient within your scope of practice. Lots of graduates become general dentists due to the ability to see patients on a regular basis and develop a strong rapport with them whilst performing several different procedures.
Dentists can further their knowledge by going on postgraduate courses, completing diplomas and even masters. By completing further courses, you can be a dentist with a special interest in a certain field. You can even go back to university to complete further degrees!
For example, completing a degree in Medicine on top of your Dentistry degree will allow you to be eligible to train as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon treating oral cancer and trauma. By completing further training it means you have more knowledge and expertise in that area, resulting in general dentists referring you complex patients to treat.
Having a career in Dentistry can lead you to multiple possibilities. It has the potential to progress vastly in any direction that you choose. If you would like to talk to one of our Dentistry specialists at TheUKCATPeople to find out more about Dentistry then click here.
Dentistry also opens doors well beyond the clinic. Alternative and adjacent careers include dental public health, academia and research, dento-legal advisory work, practice ownership and management, dental product or industry roles, and teaching the next generation of dentists. You can read more about the current state of the profession in our NHS dentistry hot topics guide.
Working in a general dental practice
You can work as a general dentist providing NHS and/or private dentistry to your patients. Whilst NHS dentistry provides its stresses for working quickly and seeing several patients a day, the rewarding nature of allowing your patients to smile more and eat better is second to none.
Private dentistry allows you to provide more time for your patients focusing on aesthetic dentistry which can be greatly satisfying.
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What type of specialist can you become in dentistry?
Dentistry allows you to specialise in a variety of fields ranging from paediatric dentistry to being a specialist of gums (periodontists).
Being a specialist allows you to be the best in your field and have general dentists refer patients to you they need help with.
There are a number of specialities that you can pursue within a career in dentistry:
- Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology
- Dental Public Health
- Endodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- Oral Medicine
- Oral Microbiology
- Oral Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Paediatric Dentistry
- Periodontology
- Prosthodontics
- Restorative dentistry
- Special Care Dentistry
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Frequently asked questions
What is a career in dentistry like in the UK?
A career in dentistry in the UK is varied and clinically rewarding. After a 5-year BDS degree and GDC registration, most dentists complete a year of Dental Foundation Training, then work as general dental practitioners treating fillings, extractions, crowns and root canals. From there you can pursue Dental Core Training, specialise in one of 13 GDC-recognised areas, move into academia, public health or practice ownership, or combine NHS and private work.
How do you become a dentist in the UK?
To become a dentist in the UK you complete a 5-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS or BChD) degree at a GDC-accredited dental school, usually after strong GCSEs, A-levels in chemistry and biology, and a competitive UCAT score. You then register with the General Dental Council (GDC) and complete one year of Dental Foundation Training (DFT) before working independently in the NHS.
How long does it take to become a dentist?
It typically takes around 6 years to become a fully qualified, NHS-ready dentist in the UK: a 5-year BDS degree followed by 1 year of Dental Foundation Training (DFT). Accelerated 4-year graduate-entry courses (at Aberdeen, King's, Liverpool and UCLan) shorten the degree for those with a relevant prior degree. Specialising through Dental Core Training and specialty training adds several more years.
What is Dental Foundation Training (DFT)?
Dental Foundation Training (DFT), formerly vocational training, is a compulsory one-year programme that newly qualified dentists must complete to work in the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Foundation Dentists treat patients in an approved general practice for 4 days a week under a trainer (Educational Supervisor), with 1 study day. It eases graduates into NHS working life and the FD salary is £42,408 from April 2025.
What is Dental Core Training (DCT)?
Dental Core Training (DCT) is post-foundation training that lets dentists gain broader experience, usually in hospital or community settings, before specialising. You can complete up to 3 DCT years across areas such as oral and maxillofacial surgery, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics and oral medicine. DCT develops clinical skills, supports research and audit, and is often a stepping stone to specialty training.
What can a dentist specialise in?
The GDC recognises 13 dental specialties, including orthodontics, oral surgery, oral and maxillofacial pathology and radiology, endodontics, periodontology, prosthodontics, restorative dentistry, paediatric dentistry, special care dentistry, oral medicine, oral microbiology and dental public health. Specialising usually follows Dental Core Training and structured specialty training, after which you can take referrals from general dentists in your field.
What is life as a general dental practitioner (GDP) like?
A general dental practitioner is the 'jack of all trades' of dentistry, diagnosing and treating a wide range of patients with fillings, extractions, crowns, root canals and check-ups. Many graduates choose general practice for the variety, regular patient relationships and flexibility to mix NHS and private work. GDPs can extend their scope with postgraduate diplomas and master's courses to develop a special interest.
What are the alternative careers for dentists in the UK?
Beyond clinical practice, dentists can move into dental public health, academia and research, dento-legal and advisory roles, dental product or industry positions, practice ownership and management, hospital dentistry, or teaching. A career in dentistry is highly transferable, and skills in communication, manual dexterity and clinical decision-making open doors across healthcare, education and business.
How much do dentists earn in the UK?
Earnings vary widely by setting and seniority. Foundation Dentists earn a set salary of £42,408 from April 2025. NHS associate dentists are typically paid per Unit of Dental Activity (UDA), while private and mixed practice can pay considerably more, often a percentage of fees generated. Practice principals and specialists are usually the highest earners, with income depending on patient list, location and how much private work they do.
Is dentistry an NHS or private career?
It can be either, or both. Many UK dentists provide a mix of NHS and private care. NHS dentistry is funded through the Units of Dental Activity (UDA) system and involves working quickly to see more patients, while private dentistry allows more time per patient and a focus on aesthetic and complex work. The NHS dental contract is being reformed from April 2026 to better reward urgent and complex care.
What is the NHS dental contract reform 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the NHS dental contract in England changes to better reward urgent and complex care. Urgent courses of treatment move to an average payment of £75 (replacing the 1.2 UDA rate), new care packages pay more for high-needs patients, fissure sealants increase in value, and a voluntary quality improvement programme rewards appropriate recall intervals. The reforms aim to make NHS dentistry more sustainable for both patients and dentists.
What does the General Dental Council (GDC) do?
The General Dental Council (GDC) is the statutory regulator for dentists and the wider dental team in the UK. You must register with the GDC to practise legally, and it sets the professional standards and nine principles all registrants follow, maintains the register, oversees education and handles fitness-to-practise concerns. Registration is renewed annually and requires ongoing continuing professional development (CPD).
What is the application process for Dental Core Training (DCT)?
To apply for DCT you must hold a BDS degree, have valid GDC registration and have completed (or be completing) Dental Foundation Training. You choose specialties and rank locations, complete an online application covering qualifications, experience and a personal statement, and, if shortlisted, attend a competitive interview that may include clinical scenarios. Successful candidates receive an offer and complete pre-employment checks before starting.
Can I change career to become a dentist?
Yes. Career changers can apply to a standard 5-year BDS course or, if they already hold a relevant degree, to an accelerated 4-year graduate-entry dentistry programme at Aberdeen, King's, Liverpool or UCLan. You will still need to meet entry requirements, sit the UCAT, gain dental work experience and complete Dental Foundation Training after qualifying, but mature applicants are welcomed by many dental schools.
Where is the best place to work as a dentist?
There is no single best place; it depends on your goals. NHS practice offers steady patient numbers and pension benefits, private practice offers higher earning potential and more clinical time, hospital and community roles suit those wanting complex or special care work, and academia suits teaching and research interests. Many UK dentists also work abroad. Trying different settings during foundation and core training helps you decide.
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