Dentists planning Dental Specialty Training should start with a clear view of the route, likely timescale and entry requirements for each specialty. Before undertaking sequential Dental Core Training posts or building a portfolio, practitioners should check the latest guidance from the relevant training body, as competition, curricula and recruitment requirements can change.
Orthodontics (3 Years)
Full-time specialty training leading to a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) and the MOrth qualification. Following this, practitioners may enter specialist high-street practice or undertake a post-CCST fellowship to pursue a hospital consultant appointment. Entry strictly requires preliminary DCT experience, MFDS/MJDF, and a highly competitive audit and research portfolio.
Restorative Dentistry (5 Years)
The most extended standard dental specialty route, encompassing Prosthodontics, Periodontics, and Endodontics. Training heavily emphasises complex multidisciplinary management, including severe hypodontia and head and neck oncology rehabilitation. This pathway is primarily directed toward academic or hospital consultant appointments.
Differentiating Surgical Pathways
A common error in career planning is conflating the dental and medical surgical pathways.
Oral Surgery: this is a dental specialist list route accessible via the standard DST/DCT pathway. The clinical scope is focused on surgical endodontics, complex exodontia, and cyst management.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS): this is a distinctly separate and extended pathway requiring dual qualification (both a dental and a medical degree). Training progresses through the medical specialty framework (5–7 years from ST1/ST3) and encompasses major facial trauma and head and neck oncology surgery.
Requirements and competition ratios fluctuate annually. Practitioners must verify current curricula directly with COPDEND or the relevant Royal College.
Frequently asked questions
How long does dental specialty training take in the UK?
Timescales vary by specialty, with some routes lasting around three years and others taking longer depending on the specialty and consultant pathway.
Is Oral Surgery the same as OMFS?
No. Oral Surgery is a dental specialist route, while Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery normally requires both dental and medical qualifications.
Where should dentists check current specialty training requirements?
Dentists should check current guidance from the relevant training body, Royal College or COPDEND before applying.
Related reading: DFT recruitment guidance, NHS Performers List guidance and associate offer comparison.
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