Opportunities During Foundation Training

Nelson Wan qualified from the University of Glasgow in 2013. He is part of the West 1 VT scheme and work as a Foundation Dental Practitioner (FDP) in Ayrshire and Arran in a mixed NHS/Independent/Denplan practice. He has interests in endodontics, restorative dentistry and cosmetic dentistry - especially short-term orthodontics.

Nelson say's "I decided to write this article as it's something I put a lot of thought into on a daily basis and there are probably many other young dentists in the same position."

This article is about how gaining a BDS is only the beginning and my personal take on making the most of your opportunities during foundation training with an aim to deciding what to do next and kick starting further dental education early on.

Only the beginning

Many years ago you could have graduated with a BDS and happily gone about your business content with practising the dentistry you learnt during dental school. The story for recent graduates could not be more different. These days a BDS is only the beginning if you wish to do well and be able to offer patients the best quality treatment and deliver comprehensive dental care. As young dentists we have the gift of a bare canvas and there are different options open to us in terms of further dental development depending on your interests and aspirations meaning that the we won't be confined to "drilling and filling" with no further training till retirement.

What's next?

The foundation training year allows you to gain basic dental skills - the building blocks that we all hope will help to mould a successful career ahead. But what should we do next? Once you're thrown into the real world of dentistry you begin to realise just how many pathways and avenues there are to explore. Career progression and securing a rewarding job are high on most young dentist's lists and I have found that the plethora of pathways can feel confusing and frustrating at times.

Get yourself out there

I have found that getting out there amongst the dental community to find out as much as possible has been a big help  in terms of shining some light on what to do next. It has shown me how important it is to make the best use of the opportunities you have even during your vocational/foundation training. Outside of clinical time I have attended conferences and meetings including the BACD regional meeting in Edinburgh and the recent FGDP study day in Glasgow, arranged shadowing with well known dentists who are doing the type of dentistry I'm interested in and see myself progressing towards in the future, and I have also signed up to a short term orthodontic course.

I have not only learnt a lot during these days but I feel they have given me the opportunity to speak to other like minded dentists with vast experience to ask for advice, direction and a taste of their own personal knowledge. It really has assisted me to focus my personal and professional development and helped guide me to what I should do next.

As a young dentist I have not only found it difficult to know what to do next after vocational training but just as challenging to know what's "best" to do. The truth is there probably isn't a "best" way to go about things, and others will only be able to give you insight into their personal experiences rather than a definitive answer of what's the best for you.

I think it's more about considering which type of dentistry you would like to practise and what areas you have interest in and also investing in those areas which will allow you to begin to mould the kind of career you envisage for yourself in the future. I'm sure by this stage you are all as tired as I am of hearing how it's getting increasingly difficult for young dentists to secure a rewarding associate job in the modern climate which highlights just how important it is to be proactive and aim to better yourself through various forms of further education even as a VDP in order to maximise your full potential.

Nelson Wan
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