Role Characteristics
- Lead a dental team to diagnose and treat dental problems
- Perform treatments like fillings, extractions and use specialist equipment
- Correct dental irregularities and treat dental and facial injuries
- See people for routine checkups and educate them on oral healthcare
- Refer to a dental hygienist or dental therapist
- Work with other health and care professionals
Skills
- Active listening
- Advice giving
- Empathy
- Team work
- Decision-making
- Communication
Day in the life
Watch Alice talk about her work as a Dentist and how she qualified.
Routes into this role
Here are some example routes that can lead into this role.
- GCSEs
- A-Levels
- Undergraduate degree
- Postgraduate degree
How to become
To become a Dentist, you will need a degree in Dentistry (BDS or BChD). There are many ways to access university level education, and you can explore lots of current opportunities in the section below.
You might:
- Study A Levels, BTECs, or T Levels. Useful subjects might include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Applied Science, or Health and Social Care.
- Complete an Access to Higher Education course, a college course designed for adults who want to access higher education but do not have the traditional requirements like A Levels.
- Complete a Foundation Year such as a Gateway to Dentistry course, this is a year-long university course designed to prepare you for studying a full Dentistry degree if you do not have the required qualifications or grades to go straight into one.
- Alongside education, you may also want to build some relevant work or voluntary experience in dental practices, healthcare settings, care services, or community organisations, and think about developing your communication, attention to detail, manual dexterity, teamwork, problem-solving, and patient care skills.
You will then be ready to study at university level. This can include:
- Studying an undergraduate degree in Dentistry (BDS) or Dental Surgery (BChD).
- After completing your dental degree, you will usually complete Dental Foundation Training, a paid year of supervised practice that helps you develop the skills and experience needed to work independently as a dentist.
- To practice as a dentist, you must be registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) and undergo regular professional development to stay on top of your knowledge and skills.
Where can this role lead
From your role as a Dentist, you could specialise in particular areas of dentistry such as becoming an Orthodontic Therapist, working in restorative dentistry, or oral health improvement.
Your skills in assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient education would also transfer well into sideways moves such as Public Health Practitioner or Health Trainer, where you could focus more on preventing health problems and improving community wellbeing.
Progression might involve taking on leadership responsibilities as a Practice Manager, helping to shape and improve services for patients and staff.
If you enjoy healthcare but would prefer to focus less on hands-on dental treatment, you could explore opportunities as a Researcher or Analyst, using your clinical knowledge to improve services, influence policy, and support evidence-based practice across health and care.
Location
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Community Settings
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Hospitals
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Prisons
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Armed Forces
Working hours
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Casual Hours
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Full Time
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Part Time
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Weekdays
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Overtime
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Flexible Hours
Opportunities
Access to Higher Education (Science, Medical, and Health)
- Organisation
- Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Volunteering in Health and Care
- Organisation
- Volunteering Opportunities
BChD Dental Surgery (Integrated Masters)
- Organisation
- University of Leeds