Closing date: 23 July 2026

Job summary
Base clinic will be Dental Clinic Healthworks, Easington.

We are seeking an experienced Dental Officer to join our growing team within the Community Specialist Dental Service as a member of the team. We provide Consultant led Paediatric and Special Care Dental service. This position is primarily a clinical appointment to deliver high quality oral health care for adults and children with complex medical, physical, cognitive, sensory or social impairments who fall within the remit of the County Durham & Darlington Community Specialist Dental Service. In addition to routine primary dental care, the post will involve the provision of treatment under sedation as appropriate and support of Day Case General Anaesthesia. The post holder will be expected to work from multiple sites within the wide CDDFT service area.

The successful candidate would be expected to contribute to a continuous learning environment. and supporting other staff groups within the service.

Main duties of the job
The post holder will be expected to work from multiple clinical sites in this clinical role to provide oral health care for patients with special needs within the community setting; along with providing a full range of NHS dental treatments under GDS regulations. This a primarily a clinical appointment to develop and provide high quality oral health care for adults and children with special needs, as part of the County Durham & Darlington Specialist Community Dental Services team; however, the post holder will be expected to contribute to service development. The candidate will be expected to display and champion the Trust behaviours framework as a Medical Professional within the service.

About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Job responsibilities

• Provision of full clinical dental care for patients with special needs
• Provision of dental care under general anaesthesia and sedation after appropriate training
• Provision of dental care in a domiciliary setting as appropriate
• Provision of dental care in a secondary care setting as appropriate
• Carry out needs assessments and develop services for adult patients with special needs, and for children and young adults with special needs, as appropriate
• Support and motivate Community Dental Staff providing care for adult patients with special needs
• Supervise dental care professional staff.
• Liaise closely with Consultants in Paediatric Dentistry and Special Care Dentistry in provision of care to special needs groups
• Liaise closely with the Oral Health Promotion Team in developing programmes
• Work as part of multidisciplinary networks to develop patient pathways
• Undertake specific project work under the direction of the Services Manager when appropriate
• Collection of statistical activity data
• Participation in the County Durham & Darlington Community Dental Services Job Planning and Appraisal process as directed by Salaried Dentist Terms and Conditions of Service.
• Participation in Appraisal scheme

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery or Equivalent

Desirable

• Membership of RCS

Statutory Registration
Essential

• Full registration as a dental surgeon with the General Dental Council.

Desirable

• Active Performer number registration

Special Skills & Knowledge
Desirable

• Enhanced communication e.g. Makaton
• Special interest in Special Care patients
• Experience of / interest in BASCD epidemiological surveys

Experience
Essential

• Completion of Dental Foundation Training
• Experience of delivery of oral health care in a primary dental care setting
• Ability to work at the national competency level for salaried dentists (Band A)
• Ability to provide all aspects of routine clinical oral health care
• Understanding of the role of salaried and Special Care oral health care services
• Sensitivity to the needs of the patient groups within the Community Dental Service remit
• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to work unsupervised and also as part of a team
• Computer literacy, knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Appropriate professional indemnity
• Ability to travel independently across the County to fulfil the requirements of the post

Desirable

• Experience of work within a Community Dental Service
• Provision of treatment under Inhalation sedation and /or IV sedation
• Provision/ support of treatment under general anaesthetic
• Membership of relevant professional society e.g. BSG / SAAD
• Experience of / interest in BASCD epidemiological surveys

Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).