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Dentist

Alternative titles for this job include Dental surgeon, dental practitioner

Dentists diagnose and treat teeth and gum problems and help prevent dental disease. They also promote good oral hygiene.

Average salary (a year)

£55,000 Starter

to

£117,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 40

You could work

as a contractor / self-employed managing your own hours

Meet Neil

Find out about the skills Neil has gained during his career.

2 minute watch

View transcript

I'm Neil Sikka. I am a dentist here at Bupa Dental Care in central London. I'm the chief dental officer for our insurance business, and I'm the director of dentistry for our Bupa Dental Care Clinics.

So my journey started at Leeds University over 35 years ago. And when I qualified, I came straight down to London and I worked in the east end of London in the Roman Road in Bethnal Green.

I had a couple of years there learning seeing a lot of patients from different backgrounds and really trying to develop my skills because I think what people don't realise is that you do 5 years at university, but actually when you qualify, that's when you're really just starting to learn.

I think being able to be creative and people don't necessarily understand that. But we as dentists, we're like, when we're when we're doing restorations on teeth, we're trying to do the best thing we possibly can to create the form and the function in a beautiful format so that not only does it last a long time, but it also looks nice, too.

You can be a general dentist, you can be a specialist. You can be someone like myself that does a bit of everything. You can be an orthodontist, that's someone that just effectively straightens teeth and fixes people's bites. Um, you can be an endodontist, which is someone that just does root fillings all day long.

You know, it is quite difficult because people historically hate going to the dentist. So, when you have this fear in every patient you see, has this has this potential anxiety and fear and your job is to allay those fears. It can be quite hard if you're not a, somebody that likes people.

I think you can learn the skills, but it it's always a big plus if you enjoy using your hands, and doing things, whatever that may be. Painting, playing music.

I really enjoy making a difference to people's lives, and I, and I'm in a a very privileged position to be able to do that. And that’s incredibly fulfilling.

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through a university course.

University

Your first step is to complete a 5-year degree course at one of several dental schools located around the country. The schools are approved by the General Dental Council.

This is followed by 2 years of supervised postgraduate dental training in different workplace settings.

You might be able to do a 4-year degree course if you already have a degree in a related subject, for example:

  • biomedical science
  • human biology
  • biochemistry

When you apply for a course in dentistry, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).

It tests for skills you'll need on the course, such as:

  • critical thinking
  • problem solving
  • data analysis
  • decision making

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

More Information

More Information

Registration

Career tips

Dentistry is a very popular career choice and there is a lot of competition for places at dental schools.

Once qualified, you can work in many different areas, including:

  • general practice
  • hospital dentistry
  • forensics
  • the armed forces

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a dentist from the British Dental Association and Health Careers.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of medicine and dentistry
  • knowledge of biology
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
  • the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
  • customer service skills
  • complex problem-solving skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a dentist, you could:

  • see patients for routine checkups and cleaning
  • examine teeth and gums to check for problems
  • use X-rays and scans to build a picture of a patient's teeth, gums and jaw
  • plan a course of treatment with the patient
  • carry out procedures like fillings, crowns and extractions
  • take impressions to fit dentures, implants and bridges
  • apply cosmetic treatments like teeth whitening and veneers
  • work closely with a dental team of nurses, hygienists and therapists
  • provide advice to patients on good dental care

Working environment

You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

As a dentist in the NHS or private practice, you could go on to become a partner or set up your own clinic.

In hospital dental services, you could follow the same career structure and training pathway as a hospital doctor. For example, you could specialise in implants, child dentistry or orthodontics. You could also become a dental consultant and manage a dental unit or department.

Other options include going into clinical teaching, or serving in the armed forces:

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a dentist right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Certificate in Dental Radiography

  • Provider: HARRIET ELLIS TRAINING SOLUTIONS LIMITED
  • Start date: Flexible
  • Location: Not known

Foundation Degree Dental Technology

  • Provider: YEOVIL COLLEGE
  • Start date: 07 September 2026
  • Location: Yeovil
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Search further careers

Related careers

Skills assessment

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Speak to an adviser

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