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North Wales

The North Wales Dental Foundation Year is a long-established scheme with its own distinctive character. Established in 1989, it has proved very popular with trainees over the years and launched many successful careers.

North Wales is renowned for its attractive coastal scenery, mountain landscapes and historic sites. Ample opportunities exist for outdoor pursuits including climbing, walking, canoeing and sailing. The National Watersports Centre is at Plas Menai near Caernarfon and the National Mountaineering Centre, Plas y Brenin, is at Capel Curig. There are excellent transport links to Chester, Liverpool, Manchester and Dublin.

The scheme itself is based over two sites, at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Bodelwyddan, near Rhyl on the main A55 trunk road into North Wales from Chester and Wrexham Medical Institute, which is adjacent to the Maelor Hospital. The postgraduate centres have a reputation for friendliness, and you will find a very supportive atmosphere from all the centre staff and hospital consultants

Glan Clwyd Hospital and the Wrexham Medical Institute offer excellent facilities with extensive libraries, IT suites and dedicated hands-on training rooms.

The greatest asset of the scheme is the experience of the Educational Supervisors and their high-quality practices. Our scheme offers opportunities in rural practices, from areas such as Anglesey in the North West, down to Dolgellau in Gwynedd. Alternatively, there are urban practices closer to Wrexham, Mold, and the border near Chester.

Most Educational Supervisors on this scheme have been welcoming young dentists to their practices for many years and their teams often include ex trainees (now looking much older!). Their professional teams are very experienced in ensuring your first year will be memorable, safe and enjoyable. Within all the training practices you will be encouraged to provide the highest standard of dental care. There are opportunities to attend further courses organised by the Deanery in North Wales and to attend Consultant clinics where appropriate.

The Training Programme Director (TPD) to the scheme, Michael Strother, has worked in NHS general practice on the Wirral and in Liverpool before moving to North Wales in 2020. Michael currently works in Conway in a mixed NHS/Private practice and was an Educational Supervisor before taking the role of TPD for the DFT North Wales scheme in August 2024. He is also Secretary of the North Wales LDC

The Day Release Programme itself is very varied with small group teaching, hands –on sessions. You will be encouraged to consider our second-year training scheme (Dental Core Training DCT1), which runs from Glan Clwyd Hospital

If you are interested, enthusiastic, with a desire to continue your training in a fully supportive and friendly educational environment, situated in an area with a range of amenities and opportunities we would be delighted to meet you.

Watch the below video to see a previous trainee on the North Wales scheme discuss their experience.

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