Why NHS Dentistry Remains a Strong Career Choice for Young Dentists
Darran Walenta, Zest Dental Recruitment - https://www.dentistjobs.co.uk/
As the current cohort of Dental Foundation Trainees near the end of their training year, the question of "what next?" looms large. For many, the idea of NHS dentistry is increasingly viewed as unattractive; burdened by admin, time pressures, and UDA targets. But this perception, while understandable, often masks the real and significant advantages that dentist jobs in NHS and mixed practices offer to early-career dentists.
The Current Landscape of Newly Qualified Dentists
Each year, newly qualified dentists in the UK complete their Dental Foundation Training (DFT), a crucial bridge between university and general dental practice within the NHS. According to the Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND), 1,153 DFT posts were available across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland for the 2023–24 cycle, with placements beginning in September 2023 (COPDEND, 2024).
This aligns closely with UK dental school admissions, with 1,115 students admitted in 2023–24 and 1,109 were expected in 2024–25 (Office for Students, 2024).
However, recent years have seen a potentially worrying trend for NHS dentistry: in 2022, around 40 UK dental graduates chose not to take up their foundation posts (Dentistry.co.uk, 2022). This growing hesitation, sometimes driven by concerns about working conditions, adds to the risks facing the future of NHS dentistry in the UK.
A Well-rounded Start
It’s no secret that NHS dentistry has its challenges. But for a newly qualified associate, it also offers something immensely valuable, structure, variety, and rapid clinical development. You’ll see a wide range of patient cases, refine your diagnostic and communication skills, and become more confident and efficient in a real-world environment.
A good NHS or mixed practice, especially one with a supportive principal, provides essential mentorship and daily clinical guidance. You’ll develop faster, avoid early burnout, and discover your professional interests in a lower-risk, team-based setting.
Jumping straight into private-only practice or going overseas might seem exciting, but without high patient volumes and mentorship, the learning curve can be steep and isolating. For many, it’s not the clinical fast track it appears to be.
The British Dental Association (BDA) reports that 95% of practices with a high NHS commitment face difficulties recruiting associates, with over half reporting vacancies that remain unfilled for more than six months (BDA, 2024). This underscores the demand for new NHS clinicians and the opportunity available to newly qualified dentists who are ready to take the plunge. This provides you with plenty of choice and ensures that you choose the perfect opportunity for you.
Mixed Practices: The Best of Both Worlds
Today’s mixed practices often combine the structure of NHS dentistry with the freedom to grow private work—and they are increasingly well-equipped environments. Many feature intraoral scanners, digital radiography, CBCT, rotary endo systems, and high-quality materials, offering the tools to provide excellent care and build a strong clinical portfolio.
These practices give you the chance to build a solid NHS foundation while exploring private treatments gradually. You can build trust, develop relationships, and introduce higher-value care over time, without the pressure of jumping straight into a more sales based targeted dentistry.
Strong Financial Foundations
NHS Dentistry does pay well and you can combine this with private income as your skills and interests develop.
A typical associate working a full-time NHS contract of 5,000 UDA at an average of £14 per UDA will earn £70,000 annually from NHS income alone, before adding any private treatments. Many young associates exceed this.
The National Association of Specialist Dental Accountants and Lawyers (NASDAL) reported that the average associate income in 2023–24 was £90,161, an increase of 11.9% on the previous year (NASDAL, 2024).
And don’t forget the NHS Dental Workforce Incentive Scheme, which offers bonuses of up to £20,000 for working in designated high-need areas—making the NHS not just viable, but highly competitive financially. Also, these areas are no longer confined to rural areas in say Lincolnshire or Yorkshire; we have recently been able to offer these incentives in more popular urban areas, such as Brighton and Hove for example.
The Value of the NHS Pension Scheme: In addition to the immediate income, NHS dentists also benefit from an NHS Pension, a defined benefit pension plan offering a secure and inflation-linked income in retirement. For general dental practitioners (GDPs), the pension is calculated based on a percentage of their total pensionable earnings.
The NHS pension scheme provides a robust retirement foundation, with benefits that are difficult to match in the private sector.
From Foundation to Flight: Why NHS Dentistry is Your Career Launchpad
Working in the NHS doesn’t mean you’re locked in for life. Think of it as a Launchpad, a solid platform to develop confidence, refine your technique, and define your goals.
Whether you ultimately move into private practice, specialise, teach, or even relocate abroad, your time in the NHS will have prepared you thoroughly and given you experiences no other route can match. For over 20 years, I have helped hundreds of dentists find their first associate position, and I know first-hand how working in a good mixed dental practice provides a superb and unique environment for professional development in the UK. It truly is the perfect training ground. As a recruiter, it’s vital for me to ensure young dentists have access to the best start in their dental careers.
Over the past 20 years, many of the dentists I've worked with who are now owners of private practices in the UK or principals in Australia frequently reflect on the vital role NHS dentistry played in their early careers. They’re genuinely grateful for the strong clinical foundation and professional development it offered. More than just technical skills, NHS practice helped them hone the soft skills that truly define a successful clinician: empathy, communication, and the ability to build lasting patient relationships. When combined with clinical experience and postgraduate training, these qualities create not only a well-rounded dentist, but a future-ready practice owner.
Final Thoughts
NHS Dentistry needs to evolve and ultimately it requires the Government to spearhead this and put the work in. But above all else it needs young, driven clinicians to help shape its future.
NHS and mixed-practice work can be hard, but it’s rewarding, respected, and rich with opportunity. If you’re finishing your foundation year and considering your next move, don’t write off the NHS. With the right practice and a good principal, it might just be the best decision you’ll ever make.
Each year, we help dentists land their first Associate role post-training. We ensure our clients provide the support, career growth, and modern practices you deserve. Search our jobs tailored for newly qualified dentists here https://www.dentistjobs.co.uk/occupations/foundation-dentists.
Darran Walenta is a Director of Zest Dental and Zest Business Group, with over 20 years of experience in dental recruitment. Since 2004, he has been dedicated to connecting dentists, specialist dentists, and dental practices across the UK and Australia. Zest Dental also collaborates with trusted agent partners in New Zealand and the Netherlands to provide comprehensive recruitment services in the global dental industry.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darranwalenta/
References
British Dental Association (BDA), 2024. DDRB 2023–24 Round: BDA Submission. https://www.bda.org/media/3eyfkckk/ddrb-23-24-round-bda-submission.pdf?
Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND), 2024. Newsletter Autumn 2024. https://www.copdend.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/COPDEND-Newsletter-Autumn-2024.pdf
Zest Dental, Review of salaries https://www.dentistjobs.co.uk/jobs
Office for Students, 2024. Medical and Dental Intakes. https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/for-providers/finance-and-funding/health-education-funding/medical-and-dental-intakes/
Dentistry.co.uk, 2022. Significant decline in number of dental graduates taking up foundation training. https://dentistry.co.uk/2022/07/28/significant-decline-in-number-of-dental-graduates-taking-up-foundation-training/
NASDAL, 2024. Dental Statistics Survey 2023–24. https://nasdal.org.uk/news/
NHS Digital, 2023. Dental Earnings and Expenses Estimates 2022–23: England. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/dental-earnings-and-expenses-estimates/2022-23
British Dental Association (BDA). Pensions and Retirement Advice. https://www.bda.org/advice/finances-and-indemnity/pensions
