Applications open: 23th October 2025 at 10:00 (UK time)

Applications close: 20th November 2025 at 16:00 (UK time).  

The full timeline for the recruitment round, including application periods and interview date is published on the National Recruitment Office (NRO) website, and the timeline tab of the Oriel vacancy. 

Assessment Centre:  6th and 7th January 2026

Selection Centre: Wednesday 11th March 2026 

Specific details for the assessment centre and selection centre are TBC. 

NRO Website:  

https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/dental-public-health

Applications are equally open to those who may, either from the outset or subsequently, wish to train less than full time or job share. 

Please note that there is a strict application policy that applications cannot be accepted after the deadline.

If you experience any difficulty is submitting your application by the deadline, please contact the National Recruitment Office immediately via England.enquiriesnrodph.ne@nhs.net

Before you complete your application, please read the documents available on the NRO website.

These documents contain specific and detailed information with regards to the posts available so please read them thoroughly to ensure that you fill out your application form and rank your preferences correctly.

Please ensure you upload all the required evidence to support your application form as this be required at longlisting. Failure to provide the required documents at the application stage will delay the longlisting process. 

You will not be able change your application once it has been submitted. Any queries regarding your application can be emailed to  england.enquiriesnrodph.ne@nhs.net

For further information regarding the individual programmes/units, please refer to the NRO website.

All schemes advertised are subject to change based on service, education and training configuration. 

Self-Assessment: The Self-Assessment Portal will be opened on 1st December 2025 and will close on 5thDecember 2025.Applicants are required to upload evidence that supports the scores awarded in the self-assessment questionnaire (as part of the application form).

Assessment Centre:  Applicants successful at longlisting (eligibility checking) will be invited to assessment (written tests of numerical and critical reasoning and a situational judgement, scenario-based test). Assessment tests will be taken electronically and offered through test centres at various locations throughout the UK and Europe.

The assessment centre will take place 6thand 7thJanuary 2026. A link will be emailed to all longlisted applicants which will enable them to choose from a list of various locations throughout the UK. 

Applicants will need to reach a minimum standard for their application to proceed to the next stage. 

More information regarding the assessment centre can be found on the website:

https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/public-health/recruitment-information

Selection Centre: Applicants that successfully complete the assessment centre will automatically be invited to a virtual interview on Wednesday 11th March 2026. Further information regarding this is TBC. 

Applicants must be available on this date as an alternative will not be provided. 

Length of interview and structure: All relevant information relating the interview selection process is available on the NRO website.

Programme Preferences: Will open 16th March 2026 to 23rd March 2026.Before interviews applicants will be emailed to advise when preferences have opened. Applicants will have the opportunity to rank all available programmes across the UK. Further information on programme preferencing will be made available on the NRO website. 

If your employment is subject to immigration control, you should refer to the link below for information about how this may affect your application.

https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/right-to-work-in-the-uk

If you make a Fitness to Practice declaration on your application form, you must email further information to  england.enquiriesnrodph.ne@nhs.net. Supporting information should provide, as a minimum: Programme and level applied to, full name, application ID, an outline of the events leading to the FTP issue, date/s of the event/s, and a reflection on the event and the outcome of any investigations/action. 

This information must be provided at the time of application, and no later than the advert closing date. Failure to do so may result in your application being rejected.

For further information please refer to; https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/fitness-to-practise

A process is in place across all national dental recruitment, to ensure that applicants with special circumstances and a requirement to train in a particular location are treated in a fair and consistent way. 

For further information and detail on how to apply for special circumstances, please refer to; https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/special-circumstances

The National Certification of Equivalence to Dental Core Training Year 2 Competency

A process has been developed to facilitate applications to Specialty Training posts from individuals who have not followed a standard UK training pathway (Dental Foundation, Dental Core Training

• The process can also be used by applicants for DCT3 posts if they have not already undertaken a DCT2 post.

A dentist who wishes to apply for Specialty Training is required to demonstrate the competencies acquired at the end of UK Dental Core training year 1 (i.e., outcome 1) at the time of interview and of UK Dental Core training year 2 at the time of post commencement. This is currently the case for all dental specialties. If a dentist has not undergone UK Dental Core Training year 2, they may apply for a Certificate of Equivalence to Dental Core Training Year 2 Competencies.

If the dentist considers that they have acquired experience and/or training which should be regarded as equivalent to DCT2, they can apply to the Certification of Equivalence to Dental Core Training Year 2 Panel to have this confirmed.  Further information and guidance notes are available here https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/our-work/dental-dct2-equivalence/

National Dental Public Health Recruitment website: https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/dental-public-health

For any queries that cannot be answered please contact:  england.enquiriesnrodph.ne@nhs.net