This year will provide a broad overview of your possible career choices and a clearer understanding of the NHS system. It’s essential to prepare well to increase your chances of a successful application.
To help you prepare, Joshua Kennedy, immediate past President of the BDSA and former Vice-Chair of the BDA Student Committee, answers your frequently asked questions on the application process.
What is the application process?
Applications for DFT and VT open in August of each year. As part of your registration, you will need to create an account on the Oriel website. Here you will need to register your details along with an email address, for future correspondence. It’s recommended you use a personal email, as you may receive correspondence after finishing university.
When do I get the date of the exam?
If you are applying for DFT in England, Northern Ireland, and Wales, you will have to undertake the Situational Judgement Test (SJT), a computer-based in-person assessment. This exam is typically held in November at a Pearson Vue test centre in the city or region of your dental school.
You should be contacted via email once the booking slots open in October. Remember to request your absence from clinics once you book your slot for the SJT examination.
Are there any pitfalls I should be aware of?
When registering through Oriel, it’s important to make sure you submit all your details correctly. Changing them can be difficult after the registration is completed. You also need to be aware of the deadlines for registration and applications. Regular communication with lecturers and other students is a good way to keep on top of these deadlines. Dental students are often advised to register and apply for DFT and/or VT at the same time.
In case you have any issues with the application process, please speak to someone in your dental school. However, if you wish to raise any concerns about the application process, you can speak to your dental school’s BDA representative. The applications are often discussed at the biannual BDA Student Committee meetings.
Will I have to select my schemes when I apply?
If you are applying to DFT, schemes are usually released in April each year. Under the current system, you have 28 days to choose where you wish to be allocated for DFT and your SJT ranking will influence your allocation.
For VT, the in-person interviews will be conducted during a two week ‘visitation period’ in May or June. The practices offering training positions will be released the week prior to the start of those two weeks. You will need to contact the practices you are interested in to request an interview, and travel across Scotland over the ‘visitation period’ to attend interviews.
The application deadline for Academic DFT is usually in February each year. This is a separate application process, and an interview is needed as part of the selection process.
What are my options? Do I have to decide when I apply?
There are a variety of options available to dental students for DFT and VT. Most positions are one-year posts based in primary care practices. However, there are also two-year posts available that involve a combination of experience in both primary and secondary care. Right now, these two-year posts are only available in England and often focus on a particular speciality.
For dental students applying for Academic DFT, it’s important to apply in August/September. Each academic post is attached to a university teaching hospital across the UK and will have a different focus in terms of speciality. Academic DFT typically involves one session per week of research.
When it comes to longitudinal and academic posts, I would recommend reading the individual job description documents to find out more.
Can I apply in Scotland and national recruitment (England, Wales, NI)?
VT and DFT have separate application processes. You can apply to both in the same year, however both applications open at a similar time in August or September, so you need to make sure to keep on top of the requirements and deadlines.