The posts are advertised either annually or every three years in the British Dental Journal, and the exact number of posts can vary. It is imperative that you investigate the courses on offer, because they will all have their advantages and limitations.
COPDEND and the London Deanery together co-ordinate National Recruitment for Orthodontics StR training posts in England, Wales and Scotland. Application is online via the London Deanery website and there are a number of online documents available that give specific and detailed information on the application process and person specification. In addition, there are links to the individual programmes. The interviews are usually held in May during which the shortlisted applicants are ranked. Thereafter, applicants are allowed to visit the different programmes or attend an open day for more information. The opportunity to visit enables applicants to decide on their preferences, which need to be registered in early July. Dependent on the MOrth results and the number of free posts available, successful applicants will be given a single offer for their highest available preference in early July and have 48 hours to accept or reject the offer.
In April 2012, the UK Border Agency closed the Tier 1 immigration route, which has been used by non-EU doctors who have graduated from a UK dental school and have completed their Foundation Programme. For further information on eligibility for specialty training, the relevant deanery should be contacted.