NHS England Workforce, Training & Education Northeast and North Cumbria

Dental Therapist Foundation Training

Recruitment 2025/26 (local process)

NHSE Workforce, Training and Education Northeast (NHSE W,T&E NE), are recruiting up to a maximum of 12 trainees into Dental Therapist Foundation Training (DTFT). 

The Dental Therapists Foundation Training programme (DTFT) has been developed to support newly qualified Dental Therapists during their transition into the Primary Dental Care workforce.

The Scheme places particular emphasis on providing continued support and education in a clinical environment, as well as assisting the development of personal skills and knowledge through the educational study day programme and supported by Educational Supervisors and the Training Programme Director.

Covering the Northeast and North Cumbria, the programme will commence 1 September 2025 until 31 August 2026.

Foundation Dental Therapists benefit from:

• employed placement in primary care NHS Practice for 3-days per week and 2 days a week in an enhanced programme placement (see job description)
• Minimum of 25 organised study days
• Over 120 hours of CPD
• Support of a dedicated Educational Supervisor in practice
• Set aside time in practice for one-to-one learning
• Support and networking from your peers
• Access to the National e-Portfolio for Dental Foundation Training

DTFT posts consist of placements in General Dental Practice and Community Dental Services or as part of schemes working in both the primary and secondary care and non-clinical environments. Trainees are employed by the training practice under a standard contract for 35 hours per week. One day per week during term time is designated a study day, usually at our local postgraduate centre in Belmont, Durham. There is a minimum of twenty study days per year that must be attended in order to complete the programme.

Successful completion of this placement will lead to the award of a Certificate of Completion of Dental Therapist Foundation Training. 

All posts commence 1 September 2025 and terminate 31 August 2026.

Salary: Agenda for Change, entry point Band 6 

You can watch a video (here) to learn more about Dental Therapist Foundation Training in the Northeast.

All vacancies advertised are subject to change based on service, education and training configuration.

Application Timeline and Process

Application documents will be available via this webpage Monday 10 March 2025.

Contacts and Enquiries

Enquiries should be submitted to: england.dft.ne@nhs.net  

For information regarding Educational Supervisor Recruitment please click here

For further information regarding the programme please refer to the NHS England Workforce, Training and Education Northeast website: https://madeinheene.hee.nhs.uk/dental_training/Dental-Therapists.