Dental Foundation Training Guide 2019

The Dean's Welcome
Useful Telephone Numbers
Aim of Foundation Training
Aims of Dental Foundation Year Training
First things first
FD and ES contracts
FD Salary
Successful Completion
Day Release Course
Educational Support and Monitoring
Problem Solving
Session Evaluations
EPDP, Case Presentation, Key Skills and Audit
Tutorials and Tutorial Topics
Buddy ADEPTS
Claiming Expenses
FD's Travel and Subsistence Policy
Study Day
Important Dates for South West FT 2017 - 18
Raising Concerns If Patients Are At Risk
Dealing with Professional and Personal Issues
Occupational Health
Expectations of Educational Supervisors
Performers List Validation by Experience
DFT Documents/Resources

The Dean's Welcome

The Deans Welcome


I would like to welcome you the South West Dental Foundation Training Scheme. As a Foundation Trainee you are being given a wonderful opportunity, to build on the clinical skills and knowledge you have acquired as a dental undergraduate, in a supported clinical environment. I am proud that the South West provides excellent training and has a committed and motivated team providing to support foundation training across the region. I am sure that you will all take very opportunity to expand and grow your skills and knowledge as a registered dental practitioner, and following completion of training I hope you will become a highly professional, ethical, compassionate and caring independent NHS practitioner.


Each of our schemes is run by a Training Programme Director who are experienced professionals, they will oversee the study days and support you, together with your trainer, in the transition from student to employee. The Associate Dean for Dental Foundation Training oversees each scheme from a quality assurance perspective and is also someone who is there to support you.


You are a registered professional in your own right and do need to abide by the GDC standards. If you have concerns about any issues in your practice that you feel may affect the safety of patients within the practice you do have a professional responsibility to raise these concerns with your Educational Supervisors. If you would find it difficult to raise with your ES you should approach your Training Programme Director, Associate Dean or myself
Remember you have a statutory duty as a dentist to be open and honest with patients when things go wrong with their treatment that may have the potential to cause harm or distress (Statutory Duty of candour). If this happen


o Inform the patient( or their parent or carer)
o Apologise
o Offer an appropriate remedy or support to put matters right
o Explain fully to the patient the short and long term effects of what has happened


I am sure you will find the year challenging and rewarding, above all ensure that you make the most of the opportunities available to you.


Best wishes for the year ahead


Jane Luker Dental Postgraduate Dean HESW

Useful Telephone Numbers

Below is a list of contacts you may find useful during your Dental Foundation Training Year.


Dr Jane Luker, Dental Postgraduate Dean
Email: Jane.Luker@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone Number: 01454 252681


Mr David Lee, Associate Dental Postgraduate Dean
Email: David.Lee@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07445956937


Mrs Katy Williams, Dental Foundation Training Administrator
Email: DentalFoundation.SW@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone Number: 01454 252693


Ms Philippa Riseley-Prichard, TPD for Bath and West Scheme
Email: Philippa.Riseley-Prichard@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07715936844

Mr Phil Loughnane, TPD for Bristol and South Cotswold Scheme
Email: Phillip.Loughnane@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone Number : 07733 102086


Mrs Jenny Albiston, TPD for Devon and Coastal Scheme
Email: Jennifer.Albiston@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07779296288


Mr Paul Woodhouse, TPD for Dorset and Wiltshire Scheme
Email: Paul.Woodhouse@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07540 761117


Dr Manisha Mehendale, TPD for Somerset Scheme
Email: Manisha.Mehendale@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07906640251

Mr Malcolm Prideaux, TPD for West Devon and Cornwall Scheme
Email: Malcolm.Prideaux@hee.nhs.uk
Telephone number: 07715936844

Aim of Foundation Training

The purpose of dental foundation training is to enhance clinical, communication, management and professional competence, promote high standards and to introduce the foundation dentist to general dental practice in a protected environment, while enhancing skills.


This excerpt from The National Health Service (Performers Lists) (England) Regulations2013 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/335/made) defines Foundation Training as follows:
“Foundation Training” means a relevant period of employment during which a dental practitioner is employed under a contract of service by an approved trainer to provide a wide range of dental care and treatment and to attend such study days as that contract provides, with the aims and objectives of enhancing clinical and administrative competence and promoting high standards through relevant postgraduate training and in particular to—


a. Enable the dental practitioner to practice and improve the dental practitioner’s skills;
b. Introduce the dental practitioner to all aspects of dental practice in primary care;
c. Identify the dental practitioner’s personal strengths and weaknesses and balance them through a planned program of training;
d. Promote oral health of, and quality dental care for, patients;
e. Develop and implement peer and self-review and reflection, and promote awareness of the need for professional education, training and audit as a continuing process;

Enable the dental practitioner to—


i. Make competent and confident professional decisions including decisions for referrals to other services,
ii. Demonstrate that the dental practitioner is working within the guidelines regarding the ethics and confidentiality of dental practice,
iii. Implement regulations and guidelines for the delivery of safe practice,
iv. Know how to obtain appropriate advice on, and practical experience of, legal and financial aspects of practice, and
v. Demonstrate that the dental practitioner has acquired skill and knowledge in the psychology of care of patients and can work successfully as a member of a practice team.

Aims of Dental Foundation Year Training

The aims of Dental Foundation Training for the General Dental Services (GDS) are to meet the needs of unsupervised general dental practitioners by developing the clinical skills learned as an undergraduate, and by teaching administration, governance and practice management skills to promote high ethical standards and quality care for patients.


These aims are achieved by:-
1. Introducing the Foundation Dentist to General Dental Practice;
2. Identifying personal strengths and weaknesses and balancing them through a planned program of training;
3. Enabling the FD to practise and improve their skills free from undue financial pressure;
4. promoting the implementation of peer and self-reflection
5. Establishing the need for professional education, training and audit as a continuing process throughout the dentist’s professional life.

First Things First

What to do before and during your first few weeks of starting your Dental Foundation Training

We appreciate that the first few weeks of a new training post will be busy for you.  For ease of reference we have therefore provided you with a checklist, which you may find useful:

 

Immediately after allocation to your practice:

  • Engage with your Educational Supervisor (ES) at the practice as soon as you have been allocated to your practice.  Do not wait until 1st September.  This is really important as not only does early contact ensure that you get off to a good start with your ES, but also there are things you need to do to ensure you can get a performer number which will allow you to see patients.  This includes providing certificates, immunisation records etc to the local area team.
  • Consider contacting other FD’s allocated to the scheme to see if you could live together.
  • Give thought to how you will travel to the practice and also the study days.  If you do not drive, you may need to look at bus/train timetables, or consider passing your driving test.
  • Before booking any holidays, look at the study day programme, you will need to avoid those dates as study days are compulsory.
  • If you change your email address or phone number please pass them on to your practice and also the deanery.  It is useful if your ES, Training Program Director (person who runs the scheme), and the admin team in the office at Bristol all have up to date details for you.

 

On or just after 1st September

  • Before you start seeing patients it is important that you attend your workplace induction, familiarise yourself with practice policies and write a reflective piece on this in your e-portfolio
  • Attend the first study day, an induction day.  All study days are compulsory.
  • Ensure that you have weekly appointments to see your ES for tutorials as soon as possible. It would be a good idea for you to have some topics that you would like to discuss with your ES in the early weeks. It is important that you prepare for these tutorials to ensure that you gain maximum benefit from them.
  • Find out about your rota and timetable for the year and how to find places that you will need to travel to.
  • Familiarise yourself with the dental foundation training curriculum, e-portfolio and assessments.
  • After completing your educational agreement you can start to think about completing the workplace based assessments and assignments.
  • Read this handbook because it will contain much of the information you will need to know throughout the year.
  • Book annual leave with your practice as soon as possible – please give at least 6 weeks’ notice and remember you must avoid study days.
  • Make sure the deanery has your up-to-date contact details. 
  • Obtain your IT passwords as appropriate to your practice and a username and password for the e-portfolio. 

And finally

Ask the Key Contacts in this handbook any questions that you may have…remember they are all here to help you to become a competent, caring, reflective practitioner who enjoys this first step on the professional ladder.

 

First things first: Educational Supervisor (ES)

What to do prior to and during the first few weeks of the Foundation Dentist arriving.

Informing and preparing your team at the practice

It is a good idea to hold a staff meeting as soon as possible to inform the staff that you have been appointed as a training practice and that an FD will hopefully be starting work at the beginning of September.

Point out to the staff that this appointment is a feather in the cap for the practice and that it is a reflection on the whole team that your practice has been recognised as a suitable environment for training a young dentist. It is important that all the staff are involved from an early stage to help everyone get behind the FD when they arrive.

It is worth briefing the staff that the FD will be a fully qualified dentist who will be enthusiastic and fully up to date with all the latest techniques, and that the practice will benefit from this fresh input of ideas. They are likely to be fun, motivated and will bring a breath of fresh air into the place. They will however need support, encouragement and guidance in adapting to general practice. This will be the job of the whole team, not just the ES, and everyone in the practice will benefit and be involved.

Inform the staff that when speaking to patients it is important to refer to the FD, if asked, as a young dentist who is experienced and up to date with the latest techniques. Avoid telling the patients they are newly qualified and on no account should they use the terms ‘trainee’ or ‘vocational trainee’, which imply to patients that they are not qualified.

  

FD appointment process

All FD applicants have already been through a national recruitment process.  They have been allocated a score and appointed to a scheme.  Each scheme throughout the UK has about 12 training practices.  There are equal numbers of FD applicants appointed to your scheme as there are training practices that have been appointed.  Therefore the final part of the appointment process is to allocate FD applicants to ESs.  This involves FD applicants ranking the practices within the scheme in their order of preference.  An important part of this is you as the ES promoting your practice to the group of FD applicants in the scheme.  This this done in the following way:

  1. Practice visit – FD applicants have the opportunity to visit your practice before they make their ranking of preference.  This is an opportunity for the FD to see the location, see the practice including the room and equipment that they would be using and most importantly meet you and the team.  This is your best chance to promote yourself and the practice, and hopefully make yourself desirable to as many FD applicants as possible.  Inform the receptionists immediately that final year students allocated to the scheme may be phoning to arrange to visit the practice. It is important that you have agreed with the receptionists how you would like to handle these calls.

Following receipt of the rankings by the FD applicants, the postgraduate office will allocate them to practices, with the highest ranking FD applicant getting their first choice of practice, and so on.  ESs will be notified of which FD will be working with them as soon as possible.  Once you know who you have been paired with, getting in contact to congratulate and welcome them has been seen by previous FD’s as being beneficial.  They feel relieved that they have found a job, and that they are being welcomed.  It is also important to bear in mind that it is a busy and pressured time for them in the lead up to finals.

Buddy ES

If it is your first year as being an ES, you will be “buddied up” with an experienced ES on the same scheme.  Your scheme adviser will choose your buddy, and you will be able to meet them at the job shop.  You will also be expected to spend an afternoon with them and complete an induction list.

 

Late withdrawals

Even at this late stage, some applicants may withdraw.  If you are unlucky enough for this to happen to you, do not panic, there is a reserve list of FD applicants.  Contact Katy Williams in the Postgraduate office for further details.

Signing a contract of employment

Once the FD applicant has passed finals, they are eligible to sign a contract of employment.  The contract of employment is between you and the FD.  The up-to-date version is sent to all ES’s by Katy Williams at the appropriate time in the year.

NHS performer list inclusion

LAT’s are notified of the ES’s that have been successfully appointed, however it would be prudent to contact your LAT if you have not received any forms.  The LAT need completion of the usual forms and processes for a dentist joining a practice, including criminal record bureau checks, sight of GDC certificates, child protection level 2 certificates etc.  This can take time, and although the FD can start work without the processes being fully complete, it is advisable to start this as soon as possible.  Delays are likely to result in a delay in your payment from the NHS for you being involved with FD training.  If this does occur, you still need to pay the FD their salary.  The LAT can also ask for FD’s to stop working if the processes are not completed in a timely manner.

 

The FD’s day release timetable

Each scheme has its own programme and timetable.  A general rule is that study days organised by the TPDs will be on a Thursday, but a few study days may be on other days.  There are approximately 20 study days that the FD must attend.  It is not optional for them.  Also, we ask that the FD’s take holiday when there is no study day.  The programme and timetable will be sent to you later in the year, but a good start would be to initially rule all Thursdays out of their appointment book.  On the days when there is no study day (including Thursdays that are not study days) it is a requirement that the FD works in the practice.  

Selecting and preparing the FD’s nurse

Selection: A very important decision you will have to make is to decide which nurse will work with the FD. The nurse who is chosen must be fully experienced.  The FD’s nurse should be allocated solely to the FD rather than having several nurses working in rotation, which can be unsettling, especially in the early stages.  The nurse must be willing and motivated to work with the FD. Many nurses find this very rewarding because of the opportunities it gives for helping with the FD’s training.  They should be tactful, helpful, supportive, encouraging and positive in attitude.  They must have a good relationship with the ES, as they are an important link between you and your FD.  They are a vital source of feedback, especially in the early weeks.  The ultimate gesture for the truly dedicated ES is to give them your nurse!

Preparation: The nurse should be briefed to expect the FD to be slow initially and possibly unsure of themselves. They will need to be patient at this stage and be ready to give guidance in a tactful manner in front of patients.  They will need to be supportive and encouraging.  They will need to assist the FD with guidance on NHS regulations, forms, computer operation and many other aspects of the running of the practice.  They must understand your own role and be ready to consult and confer with you about the FD’s progress. They must also be able to approach you on the FD’s behalf if necessary for help with a patient if needed. Be prepared to cope with possible character clashes between the FD and staff if they occur.

It is a good idea for you (the ES) to work with the FD’s nurse in the surgery where the FD will be working for a while, especially if the surgery is being newly installed, to iron out any problems.

Other important considerations before the FD arrives

Uniform

Another tip is to make sure that you have organised the FD’s uniform so they can try it on prior to their first day at the practice.  That way if it doesn’t fit it can be changed so they have a uniform to wear on the first day of work.  It will make them feel part of the team from day one, and ensure there is no embarrassment with appearance with their first few patients.

Appointment book

Appointments for your FD should be lightly booked in the first weeks and months to allow time to accomplish the work without time pressures.  Set appointment lengths in consultation with your FD if possible.  As a guide 30 minutes for an examination appointment in the first few days would be appropriate, dropping to 20 minutes subsequently.  If the FD finds this too long this could be reduced further still, if appropriate, during the next few months. All FDs develop at different rates and it is important to be sensitive to this.

Book an hour for filling appointments initially, and allow the FD to reduce this time as they develop at their own pace. The FD must retain control of appointment times. The idea in the early weeks is to allow skills to develop without time pressures.

If possible try and get a balance of new and existing patients to give experience of different treatment planning problems.  Try not to pass on too many patients for whom treatment plans have already been made, or half-carried out. It is a bug bear with all FDs that they are often faced with many patients for whom they are carrying out treatment that they would not have planned themselves.

Book a few patients in on the first day. Seeing the first patient in practice is quite a landmark and the FDs like to go home on the first day feeling they are a real dentist at last!  Similarly, book a few simple treatments in the first week. Even in a week check-ups can get boring and your FD will feel they have accomplished more if they have experienced a range of action.

If the FD is building up a new book allow plenty of time for treatment planning and be prepared to assist in this. New patients mean more complex treatments.

Keep your own appointments light in the early weeks, as your FD is likely to need help frequently at this stage. Maybe allow time at the end of each session for discussion. Rule off every Thursday in the FD’s book for the study day course.  Also rule off the week for the FDs’ residential course in Centre Parcs – refer to the scheme programme.  Finally rule off one hour per week in each of your books for the FD’s weekly tutorial. This should preferably be at the beginning of a session.

 

First day

FD’s are usually most concerned with how the dental equipment in their room works, how computer systems operate, what cements/materials they have available to them and the NHS basics including charges to patients. The FD and their nurse need to have some time together in the surgery alone to chat and get to know each other.  This period can also be used to familiarise with equipment etc. As already mentioned, FD’s like to get the first few patients under their belt on their first day, so the period can be followed with seeing a few patients.

It is also vital that they have a full and proper induction including things like a tour of the practice, introduction to the team, the location of the emergency drugs kit/AED, etc. You will need to discuss dos and don’ts and rules that may pertain to such things a use of the phones for personal calls, parking, keys, security, health and safety policy, fire drill and anything else you feel is relevant.  They are unlikely to remember everything, and some things may need refreshing later in the week.  Expect to spend a lot of time with the FD on their first day, and this should be reflected in the time you block out in your appointment book on the FD’s first day and week.

An educational agreement between you and your FD also needs to be completed on the first day if not done prior to the FD starting.  You need to spend time alone together to assess and record the FD’s learning requirements and to discuss what you are both hoping to get out of this year.

Tutorials

Tutorials do not need to be an hour a week every week throughout the year.  It is fine to load them early on in the FD year, especially for the first few weeks, as they are more likely to need more contact time earlier in their year. 

Tutorials in the early stages should cover:-

  • Lab sheets      
  • NHS regulations
  • Prescription pads
  • Computer operation
  • Referral letters          
  • Case discussions
  • NHS forms
  • Problem solving

Be prepared to be guided by what the FD wants to learn about in a tutorial.  FD’s especially find case based discussions useful, and this can lead to more in depth discussions about certain techniques within the tutorial.  Do not go into a tutorial unprepared – it is a valuable time slot for the FD’s and a wasted tutorial is a wasted educational opportunity.  Hands on tutorials such as surgical extractions always go down well with FD’s, and are proven to be good from an educational perspective.

Making use of surgery time

Late patient cancellations and failed appointments may prove frustrating for FD’s.  Make sure they have things that can be done in the practice during this unplanned time, for example, allow the FD’s to use the internet in your practice to update e-portfolio (internet access should be available to FD’s in all training practices).   Also do speak to your ES to see if there is a need to improve patient attendance eg receptionists may be able to email, text and telephone patients nearer to appointment times.

UDA’s

FD’s lack knowledge about the workings of the NHS.  The TPDs aim to address this in early study days, but the FD’s will not have the benefit of those study days until they have spent their first few days in practice with you.  They will need guidance and support on fees, bands, what constitutes a course of treatment and much more.  You will need to monitor or even do submissions to the BSA to avoid them splitting cost of treatments or making inadvertent fraudulent claims.

There is not a target number of UDA’s for FD’s to achieve. No pressure should be applied to the FD to meet a target.

UDA’s completed by the FD are not transferrable to you or the practice associates. The BSA consider this as fraudulent activity.  Also, you will need to let the FD’s know what can and cannot be claimed. 

 

Paying your FD

FD’s can have different tax codes depending on their working history.  Please ensure this is set up correctly as the FD’s find it frustrating if they find out they have overpaid their tax, or suddenly owe more tax one month. Occasionally the LAT’s are slow in setting up your payments related to FD training via the BSA.  If it is the case that you have not been paid by the LAT, you must still pay the FD when their payment is due.

FD’s must not be paid for private work that they undertake during the year. 

ES’s involvement away from the surgery

During the year ES’s are asked to contribute to study days.  Depending on your interests and experience this may involve a session teaching the whole group, or in combination with other ES’s teaching in small groups. ES’s also receive some training during the year, which you are expected to attend.  This is a good opportunity to meet up with other ES’s in the scheme and to learn something yourself.  Do ask TPDs for any specific learning needs you may have or to explain any area you are unfamiliar with.

During the FD’s year they need to complete “key skills”.  This gives your FD a chance to review the workplace and the practices policies and practices.  As an ES you will be asked to assist with reviewing the documents produced by FD’s from other practices. 

It would be prudent to ask your scheme TPD of any dates that have been allocated for such days so you can make sure of your availability

FD and ES Contracts

Make certain that all parts are agreed and completed.  A generic form of the contract is now available on the e-portfolio and as such can be altered electronically. The final document should be printed and signed with a copy going to HESW in Bristol. Any alterations, which should only be minor, must be initialled by both parties and submitted to the Dean for approval. This can then be scanned and uploaded back to the e portfolio.  The Educational Supervisor and FD must be qualified and registered dental surgeons. The FD is employed full-time. 'Full-time' in the context of Foundation Training is taken to mean 35 hours per week. This includes chair-side clinical time, tutorials and the Day Release Course. If there is no Day Release Course, the time should be spent in the practice.

The Contract is for one year, although in exceptional cases it may be extended to allow for certification or terminated in exceptional circumstances. During this time, the FD will receive a salary. The salary is superannuable under the NHS Superannuation Scheme, with contributions deducted at source. The ES is responsible for the employer's National Insurance contributions and for deducting the FD's NI contributions and PAYE income tax. All practitioners must indemnify themselves against professional risks with one of the three recognised defence organisations.

The ES must offer proper educational support, which includes allowing the FD to attend the Day Release Course. The Trainer must not insist on the FD working at the practice at this time. The trainer must provide a weekly tutorial for one hour during normal work time. The ES must also fill in their part of the e portfolio and assist with completion of the FD's project work. The FD must follow the Trainer's reasonable instructions. This is central to the professional relationship.

As it is the NHS's Foundation Training Scheme, it is expected that the FD will carry out a full range of NHS treatment and comply with the NHS Terms of Service. If any private work is undertaken, the fees will accrue to the ES. The FD will not be paid in any way for private work.

The FD is entitled to 5.6 weeks’ holiday, including bank holidays, with full pay, during the period of twelve months in the practice and pro rata for shorter periods.  Holidays shall be taken at the times agreed between the parties.  Sickness leave can occur for four weeks, and this can be extended by approval of the ES and Training Programme Director, otherwise employment ceases immediately. FDs must inform their employer as soon as possible if they are not well enough to work. A medical certificate should not be asked for if the period is for 7 days or less but the FD may be asked for a self certification note.  After this your employer will normally ask for a “fit note” or medical statement from your GP to provide proof that you have been ill. For further advice please visit the NHS website link below.

http://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/1062.aspx?CategoryID=190&SubCategoryID=1903

Maternity leave is for 52 weeks with 90% of full pay for the first 6 weeks.

If the FD moves to another practice, he/she is not allowed to accept for treatment a patient treated during their FT year, thus protecting the goodwill and existing patients of the Training practice.

FD Salary

The salary you will receive is payable by your ES monthly in arrears, and is unfortunately subject (like every other working person) to deductions for income tax and national insurance.

The annual salary this year is £31,992 which compares favourably with average salaries for graduates.

You will receive a pay slip every month with a breakdown of your pay and deductions.  As well as tax and national insurance you will see a further deduction for superannuation.  Superannuation payments are deducted as a contribution to your own pension, and are for your benefit in the long term. They go toward the excellent NHS pension scheme which will provide you with an income in your retirement as well as other potential benefits. The amount of contributions you make over the years will determine the size of your pension when you retire. It is recommended that you always take financial advice when saving for retirement.

Your pay statement will show the following information which from September 2018 will be as below:-

:-

Gross monthly pay £2666.00
Superannuation less £247.94
Net pay for tax  £2391.06
Income tax no set figure
National insurance £235.68

The amount of tax you pay will balance out over the year but can be quite different from person to person initially. It will depend on various factors including whether or not you have worked before starting as an FD.

Successful Completion

Foundation training now involves satisfactory completion.

A Foundation training certificate is required to work as a NHS Dental performer [someone who is allowed provides NHS Dental care]. Without it you cannot provide NHS Dental care if you are a graduate of a UK dental school.

The full draft guidance for satisfactory completion is available at

http://www.copdend.org//data/files/Foundation/Blue%20Guide%20Draft%20MASTER%20Pilots%20V1020915.pdf

During your foundation training year you are expect to demonstrate that you have covered all areas of the Dental foundation curriculum.

The full curriculum is available at

http://www.copdend.org//data/files/Foundation/DFTCurriculum_FINALDRAFT_2015%20(2).pdf

The stated aim of the curriculum is to develop graduates into Dentists able to carry out Dentistry as an independent practitioner able to put the interests of the patient first and be aware of their own limitations.

  • During the year as a foundation Dentists you are expected to
  • Show a willingness to learn
  • Foster good relationships with colleagues
  • Formulate individual training plans, in discussion with your trainer/educational supervisor
  • Maintain your e-portfolio including learning needs
  • Allow and encourage your trainer to observe your clinical work, seeking and acting upon constructive feedback.
  • Participate in regular tutorials with your trainer
  • Attend all day release study days and participate to your full capacity
  • Ensure holiday is taken in agreement with your trainer/educational supervisor
  • Produce written work & case presentations to your best standard and on time
  • Participate in peer review and clinical audit as required
  • Manage all aspects of patient care
  • Be able to demonstrate an appropriate range and complexity of treatment.

Complex treatments - activity should include a minimum of:

Twelve crowns, inlays, onlays and veneers. To include at least one of each type, if possible

Three bridges. To include one conventional bridge, if possible

Twelve acrylic prostheses

Two Co-Cr prostheses 

Eight single-rooted endodontic cases (incisors and/or canines)

Four multi-rooted endodontic cases (molars and/or premolars)

Two surgical extractions: One undertaken as ADEPT with ES by the end of Month 4

 

  • Work successfully as a member of the practice clinical team
  • Make competent and confident professional decisions, recognizing personal strengths and weaknesses including the need to refer and seek advice as appropriate
  • Practise ethically according to GDC Standards, including respect for patient confidentiality
  • Demonstrate that you understand that continuing professional development should be a lifelong commitment.
  • You are expected to provide evidence that you understand your own development needs and you can demonstrate satisfactory progress. This is through recording evidence in the Dental Foundation Training e-portfolio.
  • You are required to:
  • Attend thirty prescribed study days and reflected on the educational impact of them.
  • Show evidence of having undertaken forty tutorials with your Educational supervisor and again reflected on the developmental impact.
  • Maintain and complete the e-portfolio in a timely way. Undertaking all the activities required as prescribed by the portfolio.
  • Carry out all the work based assessments and reflections required.
  • Undertake a Clinical Audit project during the year.
  • Complete a multi-source feedback by Christmas 2017.
  • Complete a Patient satisfactory survey by Christmas 2017.
  • Undertake a record card Audit by the end of month three.
  • Complete an educational project as required by the Deanery.
  • Have a satisfactory number of missed sick and non- attendance days.
  • Demonstrate an appropriate amount and range of complexity of treatment undertaken during the year.

Your progress will be formally monitored at three points during the year. Targeted support will be provided if development areas are identified. The evidence you provide will be considered by a panel. The three points are:

  • An early stage review, at the end of month two.
  • An interim review, at the end of January.
  • A final review, undertaken by the end of month nine.

 

 pg 17 image dental foundation handbook 2017

 

At the end of the year your certificate will be awarded upon demonstrating satisfactory completion. There is an appeals process if you feel that the panels outcome is not appropriate.

Day Release Course

The Study Day programme is arranged separately for each DFT scheme and comprises of 30 days. Twenty of these 30 are core study days that everyone in the scheme must attend. The other 10 days will include time for Project Work, Dental Script, or specific learning needs.  Normally Study Days are held on a Thursday with a small number on other day’s e.g. residential course at Center Parcs. Each Scheme will have a regular meeting location but some days may be held at other venues, or combined with other schemes so it is important to check and plan travel in advance.  The content of the Study Days is mapped against the Dental Foundation Training curriculum, and typical needs of a new UK dental graduate. 

The Study Day programme includes a mixture of lectures, interactive small group sessions and hands on sessions., At the end of each Study Day you will be asked to give feedback about the relevance of the day to your current learning needs and then 4 weeks later to write a written reflection on your as to how the information on the day has influenced the way you treat patients. Your attendance at the Day Release Courses is compulsory and your completion certificate is dependent on you attending all study days.

Holidays and interviews should be arranged outside the organised educational programme. If you are sick on a Study Day, please telephone the Training Programme Director before 9.00am.  If you are scheduled to sit an external examination on a day release day then you must give advance notice of six weeks to your Educational Supervisor and Training Programme Director. In the event of missing a Study Day then you will need to attend an equivalent course, in your own time, at your own expense and provide your Training Programme Director with a copy of the CPD certificate.

Dress and behaviour at day-release courses

Professional standards of dress are expected at the study days, conferences and when visiting other dental practices as a practice exchange. Jeans, ES and T-shirts or revealing dress are inappropriate and unless otherwise advised by the Training Programme Director "smart casual" is the accepted dress code and this should be appropriate for the environment. If you are inappropriately dressed you may be asked to leave the study day or away day.

The start time for each study day is indicated in the programme. Please remember that this is the time at which the first session will begin and that you will be expected to be present before the start time. Late arrival at a session may mean that you are recorded as being 'not present' for the session.

Politeness and respect for speakers, colleagues, administrative staff and the general public who may be present at the venue is an absolute requirement. Mobile devices such as tablets and laptops may be used to take notes or complete evaluations only. Using these devices for anything else may result in you being asked to leave. It is not acceptable to use mobile phones at all during the educational aspects of the day-release programme and these should be switched off except during break times.  Please respect the wishes of speakers who do not want notes taken during their session.

Educational Support and Monitoring (see also Buddy ADEPTS)

Tutorials

Tutorials must take place in working hours and in protected time (without patients) – preferably at the start of a working session. In the case of joint ES, tutorials should be delivered equally by both ES.

Normally the trainer will decide what topics are covered at the start of the year, and as the FD gains experience, they will be asked to suggest topics they would find useful.

Discussing cases is a valuable exercise as is reviewing recent journals and publications, and problem solving. However, it is not appropriate to use the tutorial hour in activity directly connected with patient treatment (e.g. carrying out ADEPTs).

Please reflect on the tutorial in the e-portfolio on the same day.

Early, Interim and Final Reviews

By 1 November - Early Stage Review of Competence Progression, make sure the e-portfolio is fully up to date including 2 DOPs (simple restoration and new patient exam). the Training Programme Director will review ES and FD observations and have a one-to-one interview with each FD.  If necessary an action plan will need to be completed to achieve a satisfactory outcome at this stage.

By 15 January - Interim Stage of Competence Progression, again ensure the e-portfolio is complete, multi source feedback, patient questionnaire, ADEPT from your TPD and you have identified any learning needs. A panel will undertake an in depth review of each FDs progress.  If necessary a detailed action plan will need to be completed to achieve a satisfactory outcome at this stage.

By 1 June 10 months - Final Review of Competence Progression , all stages of the e-portfolio need to be completed, a clinical case, UDAs, targets for complex clinical work, any additional CPD, all study days attended etc and to the satisfaction of a panel including an external Postgraduate Dental Dean.   Satisfactory completion enables FDs to gain a NHS provider number.  However, if the level falls short of satisfaction then FDs may have to complete additional work, extend training or in exceptional circumstances cease training.

Problem Solving

Your Foundation Year presents many potential challenges as you make the transition from student to professional and juggle the financial, administrative and social demands of the year. This all takes place against a demanding backdrop of providing clinical treatment for patients that you may have been encouraged to think of as waiting to sue you at the first opportunity.

 

In fact major problems during the year are rare and many dentists later look back on their Foundation Year as one of the most stress free of their careers.

 

In addition to your own capacity for solving any problems that arise this year, you can be assured that you have available a wealth of expertise and experience to draw upon to help you.

 

In practice, the main source of assistance with any problem is your Educational Supervisor. During normal working hours you can approach your ES for assistance. When you formulate your Educational Agreement with your Educational Supervisor you should both clarify the arrangements that are in place for you to receive support if your ES is not present in the practice and whether it is acceptable to contact them out of normal practice hours (& the best way i.e. text, landline, mobile, email). Remember that most Educational Supervisors would rather have a chat in an evening than be faced with an FD who hasn’t slept through worry and probably isn’t capable of seeing the patients booked for that day. For less pressing matters, it might be more appropriate to see if you can defer your next planned tutorial topic to allow you to bring up a matter that is causing concern in your next tutorial.

Your Training Programme Director (TPD) is also available for help on any subject. You don’t need to wait until a Day Release Course to contact your TPD. All TPDs are experienced, sensible and discrete. You can discuss any issues knowing that they have your best interests at heart. However it is worth pointing out that TPDs cannot make a guarantee of absolute confidentiality because they contribute to the decision making process for satisfactory completion of the year. Similarly TPDs may quite naturally discuss your progress with your Educational Supervisor to spot treatment patterns from a patient safety perspective or to identify your learning goals.

 

The collective wisdom of Educational Supervisors and Training Programme Directors is that raising problems at an early stage is by far the best strategy.

 

The DFT group is also a very useful forum to air problems and to seek a solution. Opportunities for group discussion occur in nearly every session of the Study Day Course. Naturally openness and frankness is required, but all members of the group will respect our rule of not repeating sensitive information outside the study day sessions. Remember that challenging treatments, situations or patients are not equally distributed throughout the group or the year so please don’t be daunted by a colleague sharing their successes from the week if you have issues to discuss. Experience is not only a great teacher but also a great leveller…

 

If you do not receive a satisfactory response from your ES or TPD, or in the rare case of a problem associated with your TPD, you may wish to discuss your problem with the Associate Postgraduate Dean for Foundation Training (David Lee) or the Postgraduate Dean (Jane Luker). Their contact details are listed in section 3 Key Contact Details.

 

All FDs in the South West are able to access completely confidential counselling through the Severn Medical Deanery: http://www.severndeanery.nhs.uk/about/professional-support-unit/trainee-support/. This is a free service for FDs and you can self refer in absolute confidence. The website contains lots of useful information about other sources of help and an excellent preparing for examinations session.

 

Finally remember the Samaritans offer 24 hour, free, non-judgmental listening, to anyone in emotional crisis or who is feeling suicidal on 08457 909090 or www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us

 

Session Evaluations

During the Foundation year a range of educational techniques will be used in order to optimise learning.  To enable the highest standards to be achieved it will be necessary for the Foundation Dentists to give feedback.  On study days this will be via a form, which may be electronic in order to preserve resources (paper and time) and gain maximum impact.

Before each study day the objectives of the day will be made clear to both participants and tutors.  The participants (FDs) will be expected to give feedback immediately following the sessions.  This immediate feedback will be used to help maintain high standards or make improvements and adjustments to the presentation and format of study days where appropriate.

Delayed feedback on the impact of each study day will be given through the electronic portfolio. Timing for this delayed feedback may vary, but a period of four weeks is suggested. The delayed feedback is intended to assess the impact of the study day on patient care.

EPDP, Case Presentations, Key Skills and Audit

E-portfolio

E-portfolio is the FD’s Electronic Personal Development Plan, and it needs your input throughout the year.  There are a number of tasks that you and the FD need to complete in a timely manner.  You would be well advised to complete relevant sections of the portfolio each and every week for the first 6 months.  If there is a delay in completing this, the TPD can tell whether it is being held up because of a lack of input from the ES, or whether it is the FD.  Its completion is a requirement for successful completion of the FD year.

The website address is https://www.dftportfolio.nhs.uk/login . You should be provided with your login and password details a week or two before the FD arrives for their first day of work.  If you do not get this, you may call the web team on 020 7400 8989 and ask for your details.  Any items displayed in red are for you to complete.  The FD’s will need you to cover e-portfolio and its use in their first week. 

Other than the EPDP, there are a couple of other requirements that the FD will need to successfully complete in order to be awarded their certificate.  

Case presentation

Towards the end of the year the FD will have to present a case to the rest of their scheme that they have treated and completed during their FD year. Their case will have to be of a similar standard to their undergraduate finals case.  It is useful to bear this in mind from the outset and have a number of cases in mind as the year progresses in case of patients failing to complete treatment.  Pre, mid and post -operative photographs always make for a better presentation, as does a PowerPoint presentation.

Audit

An audit will need to be completed at some point in the year.  This may be done as a group, or as individual audits, and is open for discussion with the scheme TPD.  The important point is that the audit is of good quality and relevant to individual FD's needs.  It will hopefully show that improvements have benefitted patients by the second or third cycle. At the end of the process the FD should have gained the knowledge of how an audit works, and will be able to construct and conduct their own audits without support in the future.  If the audit is of sufficient quality, the FDs may be in a position to produce and submit a publication.  This isn't a requirement, but it is worth consideration especially if the FD is considering a DF2 post.  It may stand out on a CV and improve chances of successful DF2 appointment.

  

Tutorials and Tutorial Topics (see also Problem Solving)

The tutorial is one of the absolute cornerstones of your year. It is a regular weekly hour of one-on-one learning with your trainer. In the tutorial you can discuss problems that have arisen during the week and talk about topics relevant to general practice. Good tutorials need good planning by trainer and FD. You will benefit much more from your tutorials if you regularly discuss with your trainer the subjects you are going to cover.  Tutorials do not need to be about clinical topics. Much of general dental practice is about management, communications, and values. These are subjects that may not have been explored greatly in dental school, yet should be taught and learned.

A good tutorial is not a monologue by the trainer, it is interactive, and the more involved you are and the more you put into it the better it will be. 

Please use your ePDP to identify learning needs that may be addressed during your tutorials.  After each tutorial you are required to write a reflection.  Please use this to identify whether or not your learning needs have been addressed.

 

Buddy ADEPTS

Before the ADEPT

1/ External Educational Supervisor (ES)/Trainer contacts FT’s s surgery to see when may be suitable having a couple of dates in mind that suits them.

2/ Practice/FT confirm dates OK. If possible it is good if FT’s own ES is in the surgery for any discussion if required, although this is not always possible.

3/ External trainer emails FT , FT’s trainer and confirm date and time of Adept’s. Training Programme Directors (TPD) should be copied in.

4/ When ADEPT date has been confirmed the ES/VDP creates at least 3 external ADEPT tickets before the ADEPT date.

At the practice

1/ The external ES/trainer should spend the full time allocated by your Training Programme Director. If a full session has been allocated to ADEPT’s, and the ES has a travel time of, say, 30 minutes each way to the other practice, then the trainer should spend 2-2.5 hours performing ADEPT’s. Unless the trainer faces an unusually long journey to carry out ADEPT’, the trainer should be with the VDP for at least 2 hours. Obviously, there is scope for some flexibility in this, and the trainer should take advice from the adviser if unsure.

2/ Clinical clothing should be worn when carrying out LEPs

3/ All external ES’s should observe the same standards of professionalism and respect for colleagues as they would use in their own practice.

4/ The host practice should ensure that gaps are created in the daylist to allow for feedback, and should contact patients the day before, to minimize the risk of failed appointments.

 

The ADEPT

1/  FT’s  should be judged impartially, particularly in relation to “needs improvement”. Scoring should be according to the same criteria regardless of whether the trainer is observing his own, or another’s  FT’s.

 

2/ Should a FT require assistance, the normal procedure would be to seek help from the trainer, where possible. Should this not be possible, the external ES’s assistance may be sought. Obviously, for a simple second opinion, it is appropriate to consult the visiting trainer.

The visiting ES should not change treatment plans that have been previously discussed with the trainees ES without consultation with the ES unless there is a patient safety issue. Any changes would need to be fully documented in the clinical record.

After the ADEPT

 1/Visiting ES’s should make contact with the host trainer before leaving. This may be a simple hello, or may require some time, if there are discussion points from the ADEPT’s

 2/Any issues which may have arisen should be communicated to the ES as in a timely way.

3/ ADEPT’s should be written up within 24 hours, and external ES should inform the TPD of date and number carried out.

4/ Travel claim forms should be completed if required

 General Points

 1/ Buddy ADEPTS should be carried out at least 4 weeks before deadline for portfolio completion prior to IRCP and Final RCP date to allow for any Needs Improvements, if given, to be addressed.

 

2/ If you are aware that you are doing a REPEAT ADEPT then you MUST mark this on the feedback.

 
Claiming Expenses

The expenses you incur attending the day release course can be claimed by filling in an expense claim form provided and signed by your Training Programme Director.

The Training Programme Director will go through how to complete these with you, but below you will find the appropriate claims you can make.

Please remember that these expenses are paid from the public purse, and we should try to keep claims to a minimum.  Where possible please share lifts, and always endeavour to buy public transport tickets in advance, when they are cheaper.

Travel

Travel in your own car 24p per mile
For each passenger also attending the course +2p per mile
Travel by train or plane Receipted cost of 2nd class ticket (see above note)

 

Overnight allowance

When we are away on conferences your accommodation may be booked and paid for directly by the Deanery. Other accommodation may be booked by the Training Programme Director out of the Scheme expenses budget. If you do NOT wish to use this means of organising accommodation then you MUST inform your TPD in the first instance or the DFT secretary well in advance (ideally at the start of the year). Failure to do this may mean that you are charged for the cost of the wasted booking.

Actual cost of B&B £55 max (Receipts must be submitted)
Informal B&B (staying with friends) £25 (no receipt required)

The expense claim form must be signed by your Training Programme Director and sent to Mrs Katy Williams at the Dental Postgraduate Department.  Please submit your expenses forms every month, unless the total amount is under £30 then please include the expenses on a form for the following month..  Please include expenditure for all study days for that month on one form (i.e. we do not want 1 claim form for each study day).  If you have given a lift to another FD please state the FDs name on your expenses form.  It is Health Education England’s policy to only reimburse expenses which have been incurred within 2 months of the date of the form submission. 

FDs Travel and Subsistence Policy

Foundation Dentists in the South West need to claim their Travel and Subsistence through Health Education South West.  To do this they must submit an Expenses Claim form to Katy Williams at

Health Education South West
Department of Dental Postgraduate Education
Park House, Bristol Parkway North
Newbrick Road
Bristol BS34 8YU

Or submit via email along with scanned copies of your receipts to katy.williams@hee.nhs.uk

What they can claim?

FDs are entitled to claim travelling expenses when applicable on approved days as long as receipts are submitted with the claim.  The current mileage rate for FDs is 24p per mile.  The Dental Deanery may book and pay for overnight accommodation if arranged as part of the study day programme.  FDs will be responsible for incidental hotel expenses and will have to pay for accommodation booked in their name, which they choose not to use.

How to claim?

FDs must fill in a Health Education England expenses claim form electronically, print it out, sign it and give it to their TPD to countersign.  Please ensure that the ‘Total Value of Claim’ box is visible on the front page of the claim.  They must list the date of each study day for which they are claiming, along with details of any travel for which they wish to be reimbursed.  If they give a lift to a fellow FD, their name must be listed on the form. 

When to claim?

Expenses claims should be submitted every month.  Claims older than two months may not be reimbursed.  These will be processed by the Dental Deanery on receipt.  FDs should be reimbursed within 4-6 weeks of submitting their claims and often sooner than this.  DO NOT submit a claim for under £30 as this will be returned to you and asked to include these expenses on the following months claim.

Verification

In order for the claims to be processed the FDs will need to have verification from their Training Programme Director that they attended each study day they are claiming for who will countersign the form.  Without verification from the Training Programme Director that they were present at each of the days for which a claim is being made, the claim cannot be processed.

Where to send the forms?

The completed expenses forms should be emailed along with scanned copies of receipts to Katy.Williams@hee.nhs.uk or sent to Katy Williams at the Health Education South West, Department of Dental Postgraduate Education, Park House, Bristol Parkway North, Newbrick Road
Bristol BS34 8YU

INVOICE

Study Day – Practical Points

 

Start times

Always check the start time and venue for the study day. The usual study day is Thursday but this is not always the case, please check the programme for details.

Parking

Parking for each site differs in charges, so you need to ensure that you carry sufficient change to purchase ‘Pay and Display’ tickets. We would suggest that you carry no less than £10 in change for this purpose (although the cost in most cases will be less) You will be able to claim parking charges back, as long as you have a receipt, but NOT where a penalty fee has been incurred.

Catering

Catering facilities vary at each venue, so details are given alongside the location map. There is a small charge for teas and coffees if you require them to be provided where there is no canteen on site. Lunch is not provided and you either bring lunch with you or buy it on the day if a canteen is available.  If you have special dietary requirements, e.g. intolerance or for religious preference, please make sure that we are made aware of these as many schemes have a cake rota with the ES and FDs bringing in cakes for the group to share.

Overnight accommodation

Where overnight accommodation is required, e.g. where we attend a conference outside the region you will be responsible for booking your accommodation and travel. Receipts will be required and you can claim back these costs in line with the published allowances.

Important Dates for South West FT 2019-20

2nd  September 2019

Start of Foundation Training Programme 2019-20

19th and 20th November 2019

National Recruitment SW Region

HEE, Park House, Bristol

3rd to 6th February 2020

Residential Course for Foundation Dentists

Longleat -  Center Parcs

5th March 2020

Educational Supervisors Interviews

HEE Offices Plymouth - Plumer House

18th and 19th March 2020

Educational Supervisors Interviews

HEE, Park House, Bristol

8th & 9th July 2020

New Educational Supervisors and Returning Educational Supervisors Training Day

HEE, Park House, Bristol

Trainer workshops will be arranged by each of the 6 Schemes in the South West

Raising Concerns if patients are at risk

The requirement to raise concerns if patient safety is put at risk is a shared responsibility of the dental team. Foundation dentists must always put the patient’s safety first and act promptly if patients or colleagues are at risk and take appropriate measures to protect them.

Sometimes it can be your own procedural knowledge or technical skills that are a risk to patient safety. The important principle is not to feel awkward or embarrassed, but to ask for help when this is required. There is a careful balance between addressing educational needs and maintaining an environment where patients are receiving a safe level of care from someone who can demonstrate competence in the treatment that they are about to provide. It is your responsibility as a Foundation dentist not to undertake procedures that you do not feel adequately prepared for.

Your Educational Supervisor will work closely with you to provide support in any areas that you find challenging. The Pre-DFT Clinical Experience Review on e-portfolio provides a useful checklist of previous clinical experience and confidence. Please use this as a chance to reflect and identify learning objectives together.

All schemes in the SW have hands-on study days covering oral surgery & endodontics in the first term, which should help to refresh your theory and practical skills.

Your practice induction is the cornerstone of understanding the policies and procedures explaining how your particular practice runs safely. Please ensure you are familiar with:

  • the practice Health & Safety Policy and how this is implemented.
  • how to take appropriate action if you have concerns about the possible abuse of children or vulnerable adults.
  • the practice’s written procedures for raising concerns.
  • local procedures for the protection of children and vulnerable adults and know who to refer to for advice.

It is useful to make sure that you are aware of your practice sharps policy before you start to use and dispose of sharps. Many Foundation Dentists continue the policy from Dental School of taking direct responsibility for safely disposing of any sharps that they create. Check if your practice would welcome you adopting this approach.

Other concerns may relate to the operation of your practice, the level of support you receive or your Educational Supervisor. Initially your concerns should be raised with your Educational Supervisor who is your employer. Remember that there is some latitude in what is clinically acceptable and as professionals we all have our own clinical opinion. Please involve your TPD in these delicate discussions.

If your concern is not addressed or requires escalating, then the NHS England Area Team, CQC, GDC, or Health Education England SW can be contacted. Your defence society and your TPD can be useful sources of support in these circumstances.

Finally please remember your contractual obligations:

  • Employers, ES and Foundation Dentists must inform the TPD immediately about any significant events at the practice concerning the FD.
  • Employers, ES and Foundation Dentists must declare any current investigations about themselves or the practice to the Postgraduate Dental Dean. This includes investigation by the GDC, CQC, NHS England Area Team, Police or any other investigation related to their work as a dentist.

 

Resources

GDC Standards - Principal 8: Raise concerns if patients are at risk:

Blue guide for satisfactory completion in foundation training

http://www.copdend.org//data/files/Foundation/Blue%20Guide%202016.pdf

Dealing with Professional and Personal Issues

It is important to remember if you are having personal or professional issues it is best to talk to someone about them, either your Educational Supervisor or a fellow colleague or your scheme Training Programme Director. Your scheme TPD is there to help and support.

If you do have any issues about the practice you are working in, it is important that you speak to your Educational Supervisor. Your Training Programme Director can support you in doing this. You should always try to work with your practice and educational supervisor.

If you are not happy after having spoken to your Educational Supervisor inform your Foundation Training Programme Director. They will aim to help resolve the situation.

Should you still feel things have not been resolved then contact the associate Dean for foundation training in the south west Mr David Lee.

In the south west the Severn Postgraduate Medical Education Trainee Support team is in place to help Foundation Dentists with difficult personal and professional problems. 

Its aim is to help promote trainee well-being and personal development by providing support and assistance in tackling difficult issues both professional and personal.

Trainee Support is run by a team based at Severn Postgraduate Medical Education and includes:

If you have any queries or would like to access the service, please email the support team.

Trainee Support offers trainees the opportunity to sit down with a member of the Trainee Support team in a confidential and supportive setting to discuss any challenges or concerns. From this, a plan of action is developed jointly and support resources agreed. Trainee Support can provide access to a range of support and development resources which can help to improve trainee well-being. It is completely objective and confidential.

Health Education England - the south west support team produce a Trainee guide.

Support is also available at:

Occupational Health

Foundation dentists must:

  • Contact the occupational health and infection control lead at your practice upon appointment and follow the practice occupational health procedures
  • Provide health screening and immunisation details to your training practice
  • Follow practice protocols for inoculation injuries and subsequent occupational health screening
  • Take appropriate precautions in relating to safer sharps practice and use the required personal protective equipment for safe dental practice
  • Practise infection control as per HTM 01-05 and described in the, BDA advice sheet - Infection Control (England).
  • Inform your employer and Training Programme Director of significant events or issues relating to your occupational health.

The Dean or practice may choose to refer you to Occupational Health if there are particular health issues that may affect your ability to complete your Foundation Training year.

Expectations of Educational Supervisors

An Education Supervisor is an experienced general dental practitioner (4+ years post BDS) with high clinical standards, good ethical values, is currently included in the dental Performers List and who employs a dentist as a FD in the practice. As well as this, the ES needs to have the skills to create a learning environment for the FD, and to be able to assess learning that takes place.

  • The Foundation Dentist (FD) works in the practice for 35 hours per week. On those weeks when the Day Release Course is being attended, the FD works in the practice for 28 hours.
  • For 30 weeks of the year the FD has to attend a Day Release Course (DRC) at one of seven Dental Foundation Training Schemes around the South West region.
  • The FD’s working week must not be more than five days in any week, including the study day, and the FD must not work for more than eight hours in any one day.
  • The ES must be available in the practice to provide help and advice, be it chair side or otherwise, and must be present for at least three days a week whilst the FD is working in the practice. It is desirable that there is in the practice another experienced dentist who is able and available to provide supervision for the FD at times when the ES is not present.
  • Joint ESs must ensure that 4 days or 8 sessions are covered by their presence in practice and are not expected to be away from the practice for any significant time eg. annual leave .

As well as the normal help and advice, the ES also has to:

  • Provide a weekly tutorial lasting one hour, during normal working hours (not lunch time).
  • Take part in fourteen sessions (seven days) of postgraduate activity associated with DFT (as agreed with the appropriate scheme’s Training Programme Director.
  • Attend the Educational Supervisors Course in June each year (as part of the 14 sessions).
  • Attend two ES workshops during the year, organised by the Training Programme Directors(as part of the 14 sessions).
  • Work with the FD and their e portfolio to carry out regular assessments of development, with the aid of learning and developing action plans.
  • Complete the ES parts of the e portfolio in a timely fashion and also ensure that the FD maintains their sections of the e portfolio fully and promptly.
  • Visit at least one nearby training practice for the purpose of carrying out at least one ADEPT and one Case-based discussion with an FD other than their own.
  • Each Foundation Dentist should be assigned a nominated Educational Supervisor who is responsible for overseeing the educational progress of the trainee, agreeing a learning plan, undertaking tutorials, appraisals, 3 monthly progress reviews, carrying out workplace based assessments, providing regular feedback on progress to the trainee, advising the Deanery about progress and providing evidence and recommendation for completion of training.
  • S/he should require the trainee to regularly complete the Dental Foundation Training Portfolio and use the educational tools provided to support the trainee.

Performers List Validation by Experience

To work in the NHS, a dentist has to have completed foundation training unless they are graduates of a European dental school. Under European Union [EU] law there is no restriction on the free movement of labour and EU graduates can work as NHS performers without undertaking Foundation training.

Currently there are only places available to undertake Foundation training if you are a graduate of a UK Dental school. If you are a NON EU graduate and want to obtain a performer number you are required to complete Foundation Training by assessments. This requires you to demonstrate you have covered the same areas as foundation training.

You are required to follow the flow chart process below. This is self-funded by the applicant usually receiving a reduced UDA rate or paying a mentor in the practice.

The Post graduate department is required to charge for assessments and time involved by professional staff. This is currently at the rate of £80 per hour.

Guidance can also be found on the COPDEND web site.

Process for Performers List Validation by Experience 

  • Registrant finds practice willing to take them
  • Practice applies to local area team [LAT] for performer list
  • Mentor completes Foundation Dentist trainer application form
  • Applicant prepares initial portfolio according to COPDEND FT curriculum and performers’ list competency assessment; then draws up
  • Personal development plan [PDP]
  • LAT checks practice & UDA target
  • LAT checks Applicant & Mentor CV’s
  • LAT contacts Deanery for PV & Mentor Training
  • Mentor Training by Deanery approved Trainer
  • Practice inspection carried out by Deanery [same standards as foundation training]
  • Portfolio assessed by Deanery
  • Letter of training recommendation prepared based on competency framework
  • [looking at areas for development]
  • Mid term report from mentor at 6 months
  • Report from mentor at 10 months
  • Final assessment of portfolio by Deanery
  • Sign off and certificate issued at 12 months by Deanery
  • Performer number allocated by LAT

DFT Documents/Resources

HTM 0105 - Decontamination Health Technical Memorandum 01-05: Decontamination in primary care dental practices:

BDA advice sheet infection control England:

Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections
61 Colindale Avenue London
NW9 5EQ
Tel: 020 8200 4400
Email: infections@hpa.org.uk

 

This page was last updated July 29th 2019 (5 years ago)