Information

ST1 Orthodontic Recruitment 2026 – Round 1 NHSE Workforce Training & Education - Northeast and North Cumbria will once again be co-ordinating a single UK wide national process for recruiting trainees into Orthodontic training programmes at ST1 level across all regions in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales 2026. 

All posts are to provisionally commence from September/October 2026. 

Timeline 

A full timeline for the round can be found Dental Specialty Training (DST) | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/dental-specialty-training-dst/specialty-training-recruitment-timeline)

Virtual interviews will be held on 14th and 15th April 2026.

Applicants that are invited to interview will need to ensure that work commitments are scheduled to allow time off for attendance. There will be no alternative interview dates available. 

Vacancies 

Please see the Dental Specialty Training | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/orthodontics-st1) for details on post numbers and post information including the duration of the post. The website will 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.   

All vacancies advertised are subject to change based on service, education, training configuration and the results of the Membership in Orthodontics examinations. 

Application Process 

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. 

Before you complete your application, it is imperative that you read the information available on the Dental Specialty Training | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/orthodontics-st1) website.

Please ensure you upload all the required evidence to support your application form, as this will be required at longlisting. Evidence relating to the self-assessment will be uploaded to a separate portal, applicants will be notified of this once longlisting is complete.

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

For further information regarding the individual programmes/units, please refer to the Dental Specialty Training | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training).  

Interview Process 

Length of interview and structure: Interview guidance will be made available on the Dental Specialty Training | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training). The interview process will be online.

Programme Preferences: Preferencing is anticipated to open at 10am on 20th April 2026 and close at 10am on 27th April 2026.  Applicants will be emailed to advise when preferences have opened.  Applicants will have the opportunity to rank all programmes across the UK. Further information on programme preferencing is available on the NRO website. 

Offer Date: Offers will be made via Oriel no later than 21st May 2026. 

Eligibility to work in the UK  

If your employment is subject to immigration control, you should refer to the relevant page on the website (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training/dental-specialty-training-dst/eligibility-for-specialty-training) for information about how this will affect your application. In some cases, applications will not be considered or only considered once the resident labour market test can be satisfied. 

Fitness to Practice 

If you have made a positive declaration in the Fitness to Practice (FTP) section of the application, you MUST email: england.enquiriesnroorthodontics@nhs.net by close of the application window. Please refer the relevant page on the NRO website (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/fitness-to-practise) for the information you must include. Failure to email the information by close of application may result in your application being withdrawn. 

Salary

Each nation is responsible for agreeing the pay points on their respective Dental Trainee salary scales.  These are subject to change due to national contract renegotiations and annual uplifts.

Applicants should familiarise themselves with the relevant pay circulars when applying for a training position. 

Salaries are not protected and can increase or decrease when moving between nations or into a more senior post (e.g. from Dental Foundation Training to Dental Core Training). If there is any uncertainty, applicants should seek support from the local office responsible for the post regarding the starting salary for the position before they apply.

The British Dental Association (BDA) website (link to https://bda.org/) provides a resource of information on pay for dentists in the whole of the UK. Their guidance advises you on any issues you may have such as pay scales, expenses and pay protection, providing you with the detailed support you may need.

Contacts and Enquiries 

Dental Specialty Training | Dental Hub (https://dental.hee.nhs.uk/dental-trainee-recruitment/dental-specialty-training)

For any queries that cannot be answered please contact; england.enquiriesnroorthodontics@nhs.net

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