East of England

For most newly qualified dentists, Dental Foundation Training (DFT) in general dental practice is the next step. This part of the website provides you with information about your year of Dental Foundation Training. You can follow the links to find out about our training Schemes .

Dental Foundation Training is carried out in specially appointed Training Practices.  Experienced general dental practitioners who have an ability to teach and help new dentists are appointed as Educational Supervisors (ESs).  They employ new dentists as in their Training Practice, and provide the Foundation Dentists (FDs) with a fully equipped surgery, a dental nurse, and patients.  The new dentist works in the practice for a maximum of 35 hours per week.  The ES must be available to provide help and advice, be it chairside or otherwise, and also has to provide a weekly tutorial lasting one hour, during normal working hours. 

The Training Practices are attached to a Foundation Training Scheme, and in charge of each Scheme is a Training Programme Director (TPD).  Dental Foundation Training lasts for one year, and during this period the FD attends 30 days of Day Release Course (DRC) at the Scheme centre, this usually takes place on a Friday.  During those weeks when the Day Release Course is being attended, the FD works in the practice for only 28 hours.

Satisfactory Completion of Dental Foundation Training is mandatory for a full listing on the NHS Dental Performers List. During the Foundation Training programme, you will undertake many different assessments and these will be recorded in an on-line ePortfolio.  The ePortfolio is used as an educational aid throughout the year.  On a regular basis the each FD records achievements and concerns,  and describes and analyses events that have occurred recently.  The Educational Supervisor works with the FD and the ePortfolio to produce action plans and regular assessments of development.

Since 2014 Dental Foundation Training has commenced on the 1st September each year. Dental Foundation Training lasts for a period of twelve months, during which four weeks holiday may be taken, but not in term time. On Satisfactory Completion of one year of Dental Foundation Training year in an approved and quality managed training scheme and practice, FDs are awarded a Foundation Training Certificate which allows for full acceptance to the NHS Performers List.

Under the NHS Performers List regulations (2013), new graduates undertaking dental foundation training, may treat NHS patients only if they are working in an approved training practice.  The local Area Team of NHS England issues Foundation Dentists with a Performers List Number for this purpose. 

Many FDs stay on in general dental practice, whilst other undertake Dental Core Training, which is accessed from a National recruitment process.

Any links to external websites and/or non NHS England information provided on these pages or returned from the search engine are provided as a courtesy. They should not be construed as an endorsement by NHS England of the content or views of the linked materials.