Cymraeg
English Dear Dental Foundation Trainee (DFT),
Hello and welcome to Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) and the next step in your dental career progression. HEIW is the only Special Health Authority within NHS Wales. HEIW sits alongside Health Boards and Trusts, and has a leading role in the education, training, development and shaping of the healthcare workforce in Wales in order to ensure high-quality care for the people of Wales.
This handbook has been produced to provide you with useful information. Every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy, helping you to navigate the various training and administrative processes which are central to your training and career progression. I hope you find it useful.
Dental Foundation Training became mandatory on 1st October 1993, making it compulsory for all graduates of British dental schools to hold a certificate showing completion of an approved course (or experience equivalent to that course) before they can become a Performer on an NHS contract. The Welsh Government fund Dental Foundation Training in Wales.
For most newly qualified dentists, Dental Foundation Training in general dental practice is the next step following graduation. Dental Foundation Training is a relevant period of employment during which a Foundation Dentist (FD) is allocated to a General Dental Services (GDS) practice. The Educational Supervisor (ES) will provide a wide range of dental care and treatment to enable the Foundation Dentist to gain on the job clinical experience. Foundation Dentists are required to attend their scheme study days with the aims and objectives of enhancing clinical and administrative competence and promoting high standards through relevant postgraduate training. Dental Foundation Training is carried out in approved Training Practices. Experienced general dental practitioners, who have an ability to teach and help new dentists, are approved as ESs. Within their allocated practice, the Foundation Dentist is provided with a fully equipped surgery, a dental nurse, and patients. The new Foundation Dentist works in the practice for a maximum of 35 hours per week. The Educational Supervisor must be available to provide help and advice, be it chairside or otherwise, and has to provide a weekly tutorial lasting one hour during normal working hours.
The Training Practices are attached to a Dental Foundation Training Scheme, which is managed by a Training Programme Director (TPD). Dental Foundation Training normally lasts for one year, and during this period the FD attends mandatory Study Days at the Scheme Postgraduate centre.
Each FD has an online e-portfolio which is used as an educational aid throughout the year. The e-portfolio is a run-through portfolio encompassing various programmes within the profession (DFT/DCT/WTDFT/PLVE). On a regular basis the FD records achievements and concerns and describes and reflects events that have occurred recently. The ES works with the FD and the portfolio to produce action plans and regular assessments of development.
‘Satisfactory Completion’ of Foundation Training is dependent not only upon the assessment process, but also upon working in your Training Practice for 12 months, maintaining and keeping up to date your e-portfolio, attending all the Study Days, completing the case presentations via Anonymous Peer Learning and Assessment Network (APLAN) & completion of a Quality Improvement project work during the year.
We hope you will make many friends and develop valuable networks during your dental foundation year which will last a lifetime.
If you have any concerns about the programme or any related matters that cannot easily be resolved locally in your place of work, please let us know: your Training Programme Director, Educational Supervisor and our HEIW staff are always available to help.
May I take this opportunity to wish you every success during your dental specialty training and in developing and achieving your future aspirations.
Yours faithfully,
Kirstie Moons
Postgraduate Dental Dean
Health Education and Improvement Wales