Offers, feedback and enquiries

When the interviews are finished, we'll collate all applicants' scores to produce a single ranking.

We'll then make offers based on ranking and preferencing.

Offers process

All recruitment offices will be using the Oriel system to make offers to training posts in all specialties. You can download a copy of the Oriel Applicant Guide from the Oriel Resource Bank. 

The initial offers for Special Care Dentistry are expected to be released the week commencing Monday 20 May 2024. If this date changes we will contact you through Oriel. 

If you're offered a post you'll have 48 hours from the time of your offer (excluding weekends but not bank holidays) to decide whether to accept, reject or hold it. You must respond to the offer through the Oriel system. No other form of response will be accepted. 

For guidance on responding to offers, please refer to the Oriel Applicant User Guide which can be downloaded from the Oriel Resource Bank.

Any offer made through this recruitment process is an offer of an allocation to a training programme; it's not an offer of employment. Offers of employment can only be by an employing organisation following completion of satisfactory pre-employment checks.

For more information visit the Dental specialty training offers and feedback page.

Withdrawing from the recruitment process 

You may withdraw from the recruitment process at any time up until offers are released through your Oriel account. Once you've withdrawn your application it cannot be reinstated. 

Once an offer has been accepted, applicants wishing to withdraw will need to contact the recruitment office directly. 

References 

References will only be requested through the Oriel system once an offer of training has been accepted.

Referees will be contacted by email, so it's important that the contact details provided are correct.

We strongly advise that you inform your chosen referees so that they're aware they may be asked to provide a reference.  

If a referee is unable to complete the reference prior to the deadline date, responsibility for requesting and collecting the reference will pass to the employer.

You and/or your referees will be contacted directly by the employer if further references are required.

There's no need for you or your referees to do anything until this contact is made.

For more information visit the Dental specialty training offers and feedback page.

Deferred entry

Applicants can request deferred entry to specialty training programmes on statutory grounds only, for example maternity leave, ill health and so on. Deferred entry to training programmes is not permitted for any other reason. Refer to the Dental Gold Guide for more information about deferring start dates. 

If you intend to apply for a deferred start date you should indicate this on your application form. If offered a training programme you will need to apply separately for a deferred start date via the local office/area where you are offered a post. 

The final decision regarding any deferment will be made by the NHS England local office or deanery, which will be responsible for your training according to their local policies. 

Feedback

Feedback will be provided at the following stages of the recruitment process: 

• longlisting
• self assessment verification
• interview ranking
• interview scores

For more information visit the Dental specialty training offers and feedback page.

Interview ranking 

You will be able to view your total interview score and rank online through your Oriel account once offers are released. Please note that a thorough Quality Assurance and validation process is carried out on all applicants’ scores following the interviews. No scores will be released until this process is complete. 

Interview scores 

Following the conclusion of the offers process, you will be able to view your interview score online through your Oriel account. You will also receive an electronic copy of your interview scoresheet, including your scores and written feedback. 

Enquiries

Any further enquiries should be made to [email protected].

Evaluation of the selection process 

Following the conclusion of the 2024 recruitment process, an evaluation of the recruitment process will be carried out.

This will include an analysis of anonymised interview scores, appointment data and feedback from a number of groups involved in the process. 

Feedback surveys 

Feedback about the recruitment process will be collected from: 

• applicants 
• interview panel members 
• lay representatives 

This feedback will be analysed and will help to inform changes and improvements to the recruitment process for 2024. 

Appeals, complaints and confidential concerns 

Appeals 

With the exception of the self assessment appeals process, it is not possible to appeal the scores you are awarded or the outcome of any part of the recruitment process. If you have evidence that the published recruitment process has not been followed correctly, the Complaints Policy and Procedure should be followed. 

Complaints 

However hard we try to respond to the wishes and aspirations of the healthcare professionals accessing our recruitment services, we do recognise that, on occasion, our service may fall short of expectations. 

The Complaints Policy and Procedure explains how you can make a complaint and how it will be handled. A copy of the policy can be downloaded from the Oriel Resource Bank. Complaints must be submitted using the Complaint Submission Form linked within the policy.  

Confidential concerns 

If you have a concern that falls outside of the national complaints policy such as fraudulent submissions by other applicants, you can confidentially email the MDRS Recruitment Team at [email protected].

This email address cannot be used as a way of raising a complaint and bypassing the process detailed in the complaints policy.

Privacy notice 

In order to manage and quality assure your training, NHS England needs to collect, store and process information about you.

This is done in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Among other matters, this requires that your data must be processed fairly and lawfully. 

We will process data about you in accordance with the GDPR, and will do so for 3 main purposes.

• Processing your data during the recruitment process.
• Processing of successful applicants’ data by NHE England's local offices, deaneries and Royal Colleges.
• Use of recruitment data for evaluation, research and testing purposes.

For more information about how we safeguard and process your data please see our Privacy notice. 

Find out more information on the self assessment appeals process.

Probity Panel procedure

An applicant may be referred to a Probity Panel for a variety of reasons including when the veracity of the information contained an applicant’s application form or documentation provided at interview is brought into question. 

In the event of such an occurrence the applicant will be asked to explain in writing and provide copies of any supporting documentation upon which they will seek to rely.

When a response is received, or in the absence of a response within the deadline, a Probity Panel will be convened.

The panel will be made up of at least 3 people including a postgraduate dean or their representative and a medical workforce or HR professional. 

The Probity Panel will decide whether or not the applicant should remain in the recruitment process.

The panel will also recommend whether any further action should be taken which may include referral to the General Dental Council (GDC).