Applying

Appointment to specialty training posts is decided by competitive interview and a clinical competency assessment.

The Application Process

For information on using Oriel, go to Using Oriel to Apply.

For each DST programme, you make a single application and state your order of preference between different geographical locations.

Steps to apply for specialty training:

1. Check you meet the eligibility requirements for the specialty you’re planning on applying for by reading that specialty's person specification
2. Complete the perparatory steps outlined below:

3. Register or sign in to Oriel, complete and submit an application

For more information about this the self assessment evidence upload process, visit the shortlisting page. 

Further Guidance

It is very important that you complete your application in full and include all relevant information for each section.

You must ensure that any work submitted or referenced is your own. Any plagiarism in applications will be treated extremely seriously and will result in further action being taken.

Submitted application forms will need to pass eligibility checks before they can be considered for shortlisting and/or interview.

Recruitment teams will ensure that applicants meet the following eligibility criteria in addition to any other programme-specific criteria:

• Immigration status and right to work in the UK
• Elibility for registration with General Dental Council (GDC)
• English language skills as per the eligibility criteria and as demonstrated by registration with the appropriate regulator
• Any examination/competency/experience requirements in line with the post

By allowing applicants to progress to the shortlisting and/or interview stage, recruitment offices have not accepted or confirmed that applicants meet eligibility requirements. Applicants may still be withdrawn from the recruitment process at any stage, including after interviews have taken place if the evidence pertaining to an eligibility criterion is found to be unsatisfactory by the Recruitment Office.

Recruitment offices will not be able to make any changes to submitted application forms on Oriel. Applicants must therefore ensure that they check the content of their application form prior to submission as there will be no opportunity to correct mistakes at a later date.

Immigration/right to work

You must have the right to work as a dentist in training in the UK. Your application will be assessed based on your immigration status at the time of application.

If you require visa sponsorship in order to take up a post, you are still eligible to apply.

Find out more information about overseas applications, including sponsorship and right to work requirements.

General Dental Council (GDC) registration

You will need to be eligible for full General Dental Council (GDC) registration status by the time of appointment. You will be asked to confirm that you will meet this requirement on your application form. Any offers made will be subject to you meeting this requirement by the time of appointment.

Applicants with a disability

If you require reasonable adjustments due to a disability, you will be able to provide information on the application form.

You must tell us that you require reasonable adjustments in advance on the application form. There will be no opportunity to declare a need for reasonable adjustments after applications close unless there is a change in your circumstances.

You will be asked to upload evidence to support your request. For example, applicants with dyslexia will need to provide their educational psychology report. 

Disabled applicants are also able to request consideration for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme if they meet the essential eligibility criteria. You must inform us that you're requesting an interview under this scheme in advance through the application process by providing information on the application form.

Employment history

When you're completing the employment history section of the application form, you should declare all previous clinical experience.

This includes experience both inside and outside of the UK, in both training and service posts. You should also ensure that you detail any time spent out of work to ensure there are no unexplained career gaps.

References and pre-employment checks

NHS England will contact your referees only if you accept an offer.

We'll ask for references through Oriel. We'll ask you to provide the details of 3 referees on your online application. References will be shared with the local region or employer before you commence employment. 

All other pre-employment checks will be carried out by the local region or employer before you commence employment. Any training post offers will be made subject to satisfactory references and completion of pre-employment checks.

Criminal records and Fitness to Practise

The application form contains a Criminal Records and Fitness to Practise Declaration.

If you answer "Yes" to any of the questions on this page you must fully complete and submit a separate Fitness to Practise Declaration form.

This must be received no later than 4pm UK time on Thursday 30 January 2025.

This form is available from the fitness to practice page and must be emailed to the recruitment lead for the specialty programme you are applying to. Use the subject line "Confidential" followed by the name of the programme you are applying to.

Both declarations and any information provided in relation to them will be kept securely and in confidence, and access to it will be restricted to designated persons within the Recruitment Office and other persons who need to see it as part of the selection process and who are authorised to do so.

If you are successfully appointed to a training post, this information will be passed to designated persons in the NHS England local office or deanery which will be responsible for your training and subsequently to your employing organisation and any organisations through which you rotate as part of the training programme.

No information relating to your declaration form will be made available to any members of the selection panel at any time during the recruitment process.

For further information, visit the Fitness to Practise hub.

Special circumstances

If you have a requirement to train in a particular location, you may wish to be considered for special circumstances.

For more information, go to the special circumstances page.

Less than full-time training (LTFT)

If you are applying to enter specialty training but are unable to train full time, you may apply for less than full-time training (LTFT). You may train on a less than full-time (LTFT) basis for a variety of well-founded reasons. Refer to the Dental Gold Guide for more information about less than full time training. 
All posts offered through this recruitment process will be offered as full time posts.
If you intend to request less than full-time training you can indicate this in the relevant section on the application form.  
If offered a training programme you will need to apply separately for a deferred start date through the local office/area where you are offered a post. You will only be able to apply for less than full time training once you have accepted a full time post. 
The final decision about less than full-time training will be made by the NHS England local office or deanery which will be responsible for your training according to their local LTFT policies.

Find out more about flexible training opportunities.

Applicants released or removed from a training post or programme

When applying for a post you will be asked if you have previously relinquished or been released or removed from a training programme in the specialty to which you are applying.

If you answer "yes" to this question, you'll need to upload a completed "Support for Reapplication to a specialty training Programme - Exclusion Policy Support form" to your application no later than the application deadline.

This form can be downloaded from the documents to support your application page.

Applicants applying to continue training in a different region

If you are currently undertaking a specialty training programme (and have a National Training Number), and are reapplying to continue your training in a different region, you must declare this on your application form.

If you are reapplying to continue your training in a different region, you must also upload a completed "Support for Reapplication of specialty training in a Different Region - Support form" to your application no later than the application deadline.

This form can be downloaded from the documents to support your application page.