The first ever specialist training programme for special care dentistry in England and Wales began this week at the Dental Institute based at Guy's Hospital. The first four trainees' studies will include supervised patient treatment sessions and problem-based learning, seminars and lectures on the theoretical aspects. The course also includes a two-year MSc, and upon completion the postgraduates will be in a position to apply for specialist, and subsequently consultant, posts.
Special care dentistry (SCD) is the newest UK dental speciality, only being formally recognised by the General Dental Council in October 2008. That step allowed the specialist advisory committee for special care dentistry to work with the London Deanery to design the first dedicated curriculum for this field. The three-year course at the Dental Institute – made up of the Foundation Trusts of Guy's and St Thomas' and King's College Hospital, and King's College London – is the culmination of that work.
Special care consultant, Janice Fiske, who also chairs the specialist advisory committee, said, 'This is a really big day for special care dentistry because it was over thirty years ago that the first calls were made for a recognised specialist training programme to be established. It has taken longer that it should have but the most important thing is that we are here now.'
One of the students, Bryan Kerr from Guy's and St Thomas', said, 'I feel really privileged to be amongst the first people to undertake this course. I have worked at the dental hospital here at Guy's before for a year and I would not have wanted to go anywhere else for my training.'
The clinical accommodation comprises 13 closed and open-plan surgeries as well as clinical offices and a large clinical skills training room. One surgery has a wheelchair recliner (a platform designed for wheelchair users) enabling people who find it difficult to transfer from their wheelchair to be treated comfortably in situ. The department receives referrals for a wide variety of special care patients from as far away as Northampton.
Right to left: students Sukina Moosajee, Oxford Deanery, Zahra Shehabi, Barts and The London, Julie Edwards, King's College Hospital and Bryan Kerr, Guy's and St Thomas'
