Specialty Programme News

 

Special Care Dentistry

The Special Care Dentistry specialty programme was first established within HEE NE in 2014 and the first trainee to undergo this programme successfully completed her training this November. Congratulations to Kara Scally on her achievement and also to Kathy Wilson, Training Programme Director, and her team of dedicated trainers for initiating and sustaining this excellent programme.

A recent DMDE Quality Management visit to the Special Care Dentistry specialty programme confirmed that an outstanding level of training was being delivered and a high quality programme is now well established with 3 trainees in post.

Appointment of Dental Specialty trainers July 2017

The appointment/reappointment process for Dental Specialty trainers took place again in July this year. This innovative process is undertaken every 5 years with the aim of ensuring that all trainers are appropriately trained for their educational role. 40 of 44 currently active Dental Specialty trainers successfully completed the process with further submissions currently being reviewed. It was clear from the evidence presented by Dental Specialty trainers that there is a huge commitment to training amongst consultant and specialist dental staff and the feedback from trainees which forms part of the process was universally excellent.

Dental & Maxillofacial Radiology

The DMDE is delighted to welcome Neil Heath who has been appointed as the new Training Programme Director for Dental & Maxillofacial Radiology. Neil was recently appointed to a consultant post at Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and he is currently redeveloping the previous programme with the intention of appointing a new trainee in early 2018.

Dental Specialty Trainee Survey 2017

The results of this year's trainee survey were, again, very positive overall. The quality of clinical and educational supervision of trainees remains a significant strength across all the dental specialty programmes with reported significant improvements compared to previous surveys in IT support, office accommodation and opportunities to develop new clinical skills.

The Survey indicated that the trainees' main concerns were related to the quality of the Trust/Employing Organisation's Induction and conflicts between attending teaching sessions and service commitments.

However, it was pleasing to note that although 7% of trainees reported that they had been subjected to persistent behaviour by others which had eroded their professional confidence or self-esteem in the 2016 Survey, no trainees have reported this in the 2017 Survey.

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