Vocational training schemes exist not only within the General Dental Service but also within the Armed Forces and Community Dental Services. The basic aims, objectives and structure are similar although each offers entry into a different type of dental career.
The Armed Forces Dental Services
The Dental Defence Agency operate a Dental Vocational Training Scheme for dental officers who join less than two years after qualification. The Royal Navy and Army schemes within the UK are run in liaison with the local area civilian schemes whilst the Royal Air Force runs an entirely "in house" scheme at the Institute of Dental Health and Training, RAF Halton. In house schemes are also operated for Army and RAF Vocational Trainees who are posted to British Forces Germany.
The Wessex trainees, used to have three Royal Navy dental officers (on Short Career Commissions) in the group, have the following differences have been noted in the practice of dentistry between the Armed Forces and NHS General Dental Practice:
ADVANTAGES:
- a better salary for an equivalent VT year with the benefit of more than just 9-5 dentistry
- shorter waiting lists for patient referrals
- no staff employment problems
- less complicated paperwork
- no fee-per-item therefore less pressure on working time
- good paid holidays (6 weeks per year)
- equipment and materials guaranteed, maintained and up-to-date
- possibilities for further clinical experience, with advice at hand from colleagues with higher qualifications
- no domicillaries - unless you count ships' visits and field surgeries!
DISADVANTAGES:
- no long term follow-up of patients
- unstable population: may have to modify treatment plans in terms of both timing and content
- no control over choice of laboratory
- few service practices treat children, certainly no gerodontics.
For those dental officers who transfer to Full Career Commissions there are also opportunities to study for and sit MGDS, MSc and Fellowship examinations and to undertake Higher Professional Training all with Service sponsorship.
The CDS has traditionally provided dental care for children, expectant and nursing mothers and more recently, handicapped people and elderly people. CDS VT follows a similar pattern to NHS VT (in terms of thirty days of day-release and working with a Trainer) but, in addition to dentistry in general, it covers topics specifically relevant to the Community Dentist.
The CDS offers a career structure and opportunities to take either postgraduate education, including MSc and MCCD some Health Authorities offer financial support for this. According to a Memorandum from the Department of Health in 1984, a dentist in the CDS has to satisfy his employing Health Authority that he has "developed" by means of education and training, in order to be eligible for promotion.
IN SUMMARY:
Vocational Training within the Armed Forces or CDS is very similar to NHS VT and is a good foundation year whether or not your long term aim is to remain within that service. Indeed, knowledge of NHS procedures picked up during the VT year is invaluable:
- background for as and when you and/or your patient return to the NHS
- background for answering queries from your patients regarding their families/friends
If you require further information regarding either the Armed Forces or Community Dentistry, please write to the relevant address:
ARMED FORCES:
Defence Dental Agency
RAF Halton
Aylesbury
Buckingham
HP22 5PG
Telephone: 01296 623535
THE COMMUNITY DENTAL SERVICE
The Secretary
(TPMDE)Thames Postgraduate Medical And Dental Education
33 Millman Street
London WC1N 3EJ
Telephone: 0171 692 3148