Clinical Lectureships (CLs)

Clinical Lectureships (CLs) are post-doctoral awards that provide a clinical and academic training environment for dentists to establish themselves as independent researchers and leaders.

Applicants applying for Clinical Lectureships will need to meet the CL person specification.

Where applicants do not hold an National Training Number (NTN) and are recruited to at ST1 level, they will be required to attend clinical benchmarking.

Applicants applying for National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Lectureships who require benchmarking will be required to complete and submit both an academic application form and the associated clinical application form for the programme in which they will require benchmarking.

Any academic offers made will be conditional upon meeting the appointability threshold at the clinical interview.

Benchmarking

All applicants who are provisionally appointed to academic posts in England are required to benchmark at the National Recruitment process if they do not hold an NTN in the specialty to which they have applied.

What has been changed?

Previously, benchmarking was only valid for the year in which it was obtained. However, applicants who are successfully benchmarked in the National Recruitment process can now use this for the recruitment round in the following year.

What does this mean?

This process was implemented on 14 May 2025 meaning that applicants who successfully benchmarked in 2024 National Recruitment did not require benchmarking in 2025 National Recruitment. Similarly, applicants who were successful at benchmarking in the 2025 National Recruitment process will not have to undertake benchmarking again in 2026.