Eligibility

Before beginning your application, it is important for you to determine whether you are eligible to apply for Dental Foundation Training (DFT).

Please note that the DFT programme is designed to meet the requirements of the NHS Performers List and to allow those with little or no clinical experience post qualification to enhance their clinical and administrative competence and to promote high standards.

It is important to note that your application is likely to be rejected prior to assessment at the situational judgement test (SJT) should you fail to demonstrate a criterion assessed at longlisting.

Key information about application

Please note that the DFT programme is designed to meet the requirements of the NHS Performers List and to allow those with little or no clinical experience post qualification to enhance their clinical and administrative competence and to promote high standards.

It is important to note that your application is likely to be rejected prior to assessment at the Situational Judgement Test (SJT) should you fail to demonstrate a criterion assessed at longlisting. 

Additional information about the Person Specification

Please read the person specification for 2025/26 the below is additional information about applying.

Must have full registration with the GDC by the time of commencement of post

• Temporary registration with the GDC is not accepted for Dental Foundation Training. All applicants must have full GDC registration by commencement of post – 1 September 2025.
• If you are an applicant who has obtained their primary qualifications overseas and you have a temporary/no GDC registration, you must hold full GDC registration by the time you take up your dental foundation training post – 1 September 2025
• This means that the candidate who is in receipt of an offer must be registered with the GDC at the time they start in their 2025 Dental Foundation Training post. - 1 September 2025
• Please ensure you read the guidance on obtaining GDC registration if you are applying for dental foundation training as a temporary GDC registrant. Find information about registration to the GDC here.
• Due to the extension of Brexit GDC registration rules, candidates who are at a Dental School in the EU should respond to the specific questions in the application form as outlined below which will appear once you have selected 'No' to 'are you from a UK dental school?':
  • I confirm I have passed the ORE part 2 - select 'Yes' and enter date 01/01/2025
  • I confirm I have already passed part 3 of the Licence in Dental Surgery (LDS) - select 'Yes' and enter date 01/01/2025

Eligible to join an NHS Dental Performer List (or equivalent) by time of commencement of post

• Membership of NHS Dental Performers List in England and Wales (or equivalent in Northern Ireland) is a legal requirement and the only mechanism for a dentist to be able to work in NHS primary dental care services.
• All dentists who are able to obtain full registration with the GDC at the time of commencement of a DFT post (for example, dental undergraduates in their final year) will be required to join an NHS Dental Performer List (or the equivalent in Northern Ireland) at the start of their training or, exceptionally, within the first three months.
• It is strongly recommended that, in order to join the NHS Dental Performers Lists in England and Wales (or the equivalent in Northern Ireland), dentists and dental students who expect to graduate or have recently graduated from a dental school anywhere in the UK, undertake DFT . This is subject to them not having completed more than 12-months of experience working as a dentist by the intended start date of the DFT programme.

EEA, non-UK dental graduates and UK dental graduates with more than 12-months of experience working as a dentist can join the Performers list by other routes – please refer to the below links for further details: 

• Performers list
• COPDEND