Paediatric Dentistry.
The Paediatric Dentistry Specialist Training course in Health Education England working across Yorkshire and the Humber is the largest in the country and has long been recognised as being one of the most successful. It places equal emphasis on strong academic knowledge and clinical expertise. Training takes place both at the dental institute and within the consultant led components of the surrounding salaried dental services.
"One of the greatest strengths of the course is in blending significant didactic and academic components, with specialist clinical training. The region has a network of consultants and specialists all committed to the speciality and it is this network that contributes to such a wide range of experiences for our trainees."
Training Programme Directors
Ms Susan Kindelan (North)
Ms Grainne Yesudian (South)
Training Overview
Paediatric Dentistry is a 3 year training course to enter on to the specialist register. A further 2 years of training can be completed, post CCST, to become a Consultant.
Didactic teaching is integrated into the established and successful postgraduate programme. The teaching content itself maps closely to the national curriculums for pre and post CCST training and, by extension, to the MPaeds and ISFE Paediatric Dentistry examinations.
The Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme Website
This site houses the curriculum for the dental specialties and, in a secure area, trainees’ electronic portfolios and the learning agreements which support training.
All trainees will eventually use the e-portfolio but this will be done on a rolling programme by specialty. Consultants and other professionals who will be training, assessing and supervising training will also need to register.
Exam
The MPaeds Dent exam must be passed in order to complete specialty training. Further information on the exam is available here.
Undertaking formal research projects is expected and encouraged. Leeds Paediatric Dentistry has an extremely strong research profile and a wealth of experience in a wide variety of subjects from which trainees can draw. At pre CCST level it is anticipated that trainees would enrol in a formal academic programme of which research forms a significant component.
The current research degree of choice for trainees is the MSc by research over two years. The cost of this is currently £1988/year (a total of £3975).
Testimonials from past and present trainees:
“Specialist training in Leeds and the Community Dental Service has provided the basis of excellent training in Paediatric Dentistry. This training has allowed me to grow with the appropriate exposure to both clinical and non-clinical aspects of the curriculum."
"I came to Leeds as the department is so highly regarded both nationally and internationally. Training in Leeds allowed me to learn from a range of NHS and academic trainers there, all with their own areas of expertise and interest. Also, with such a prolific academic component, a number of international lecturers also visited to give seminars and courses. Combining training in hospital with training in the community setting was also advantageous in that I was able to see a significantly higher caseload and I had more opportunity for on-to-one training in community."
"The training programme provided excellent opportunities to gain experience and knowledge from highly respected Consultants and Professors in Paediatric Dentistry. The training programme was also flexible thus allowing individual trainees' needs to be met and allow the trainee to explore particular areas of personal interest e.g. oncology patients."
“Leeds was a great place to do specialist training. It is a lovely big department with a real family feel. With so many great consultants you get trained very well with great experience and an evidence based approach. The whole team are so supportive and encourage the best training possible."
“My training at Leeds has provided me with the right skills and experience to take on a consultant role. The training programme is focused to give an excellent mix of both clinical and managerial/leadership training. I would recommend Leeds as a training centre at both NTN and FTTA level."
"I came to Leeds quite a few years ago, on a personal level I seemed to fit in immediately, it sounds like a cliché but it was just like one big happy family; staff, postgraduates, trainees and nurses. My colleagues couldn't have been any more welcoming and friendly. I loved my eight years.
On a professional level.... no question was ever a stupid question. Leeds is lucky enough to have got the balance right between the staff on the University side and those on the NHS side; they work seamlessly together. Trainees benefit hugely from being encouraged to undertake the Masters degree programme in Paediatric dentistry, not only being taught by paediatric dentists from the LDU but also being exposed to speakers from abroad (both groups of speakers have international reputations).
The paediatric dentistry department at Leeds not only has excellent links with all the other departments within the LDU but it has forged great working relationships with the medics across in the Leeds Children's Hospital and paediatric dentists in primary care in the Yorkshire and Humber area.
If you come to Leeds, don't kid yourself, it will be hard work and there may well be times when you would want to walk away. But at the end of it when you have completed your training all that will fade into the background.
I truly miss my colleagues (or friends) that I made there. You can't say that about many jobs!”
What are the best opportunities within the training programme?
- To work with integrated NHS & academic teams.
- To gain teaching experience within both an NHS and university setting, including undergraduate and postgraduate training.
- To complete MSc programmes
- To be part of a large clinical team with a breadth of experience & and varied special interests.
- To complete an out of programme placement including leadership fellowships.
- To have split site training.
What are the unique experiences gained from working in Yorkshire and the Humber?
Yorkshire and the Humber is a fantastic region within which to complete Paediatric Dentistry training. The region has a well-established and active managed clinical network. It hosts two tertiary referrals centres, which work alongside consultant led community dental services in a Hub and Spoke model. Many trainees have the opportunity to complete a split post with training shared between a tertiary centre and a community dental service. This type of post has the benefit of providing 1:1 training, increased caseload and experience of working in different specialist settings. Trainees are exposed to clinical and non-clinical aspects of the curriculum in different training environments. Due to the long running programme, placements are very well organised, easing the transfer between the two different Trusts/environments and ensures that the trainee gains the most from all settings.
Testimonials
“The best thing for me about Paediatric Dentistry training in Yorkshire and the Humber is the opportunity to work in both Hospital and Community in a very co-ordinated way. This enables experience to be gained in different environments, with multiple trainers for a really varied group of patients.”
"My pre-ccst training in Sheffield has been excellent all round. The staff and consultants really support you to succeed. I have gained well rounded clinical experience, with dedicated clinics for trauma, medically compromised patients, oral medicine, joint-restorative and treatment of anomalies. The support for my academic work has been second to none from all team-members which has made it possible to complete research successfully alongside my clinical training."
"Speciality Training in Sheffield offers exposure to some of the best education and training experiences Yorkshire has to offer, alongside excellent travel links to London, the North and the South. The programme is supported by world-renowned academics and highly respected Consultants, alongside strong links to other specialties ‘in-house’ such as Dental Public Health, Restorative Dentistry, Orthodontics and Oral Surgery.
Close ties between the Charles Clifford Dental hub and spokes in the Community Dental Service offers trainees the chance to directly provide treatment for those who have difficulty accessing dental services and thus gain experience in treating children and young people with disabilities or additional needs who may not otherwise seek or receive dental care.
Sheffield affords trainees adaptable aspects of their training to further enhance areas of personal interest such as the Cleft Lip and Palate Service in Derby and Nottingham or Oncology Service at Sheffield Children’s Hospital. The programme is focussed and well-managed, with excellent academic and clinical support, allowing all Pre-CCST and Post-CCST trainees’ needs to be met."
Designed by L Brown, Paediatirc Dentistry, 2021