Dental services are provided by dentists, specialist dentists and other members of the dental team, including dental nurses, receptionists, support staff, technologists, hygienists, and dental therapists. Dentistry is practiced in hospitals, private practices, and in community and outreac h settings. Dental laboratories, run by prosthetists and teams of dental technicians, provide technical dentistry services. Specialist dentistry includes Oral-Maxillo Facial surgery, which is also a surgical specialty within medicine, that deals with complex dentistry conditions such as facial trauma.

The dental workforce provides an essential healthcare service to the community and is made up of multiple challenging and rewarding professions. The healthcare sector, including dentistry, continues to benefit from advancements in technology, and building a robust workforce remains integral to meet ongoing and future demand for dental services. Fortunately, there are numerous career paths within Dentistry, and many opportunities for career development and specialisation.

Dental Technicians/Technologists work in dental laboratory settings. They play a technical and hands-on role making dental appliances, prescribed by the Dentist, which help to improve a patient’s appearance, speech and/or ability to chew. Dental Technicians have digital design skills, and a good understanding of dental prosthesis materials. They build and repair dental appliances, including dentures, crowns, bridges and dental braces, usually specialising in either prosthodontics, orthodontics, or crown and bridge work. Some technicians work in hospital units helping with jaw and facial reconstruction. Dental technicians/technologists have completed a diploma or degree in Dental Technology and need to register with the General Dental Council (GDC). They can specialise in certain technologies and dental applications, and they can complete further clinical training enabling them to work autonomously and directly with patients so they can measure, fit and modify the dental prosthesis and make sure it is comfortable and functional, gain feedback, and provide advice and information. There are also on-the-job traineeships available in this field.