International Dental Graduates in Training
International dental graduates make an important contribution to dental services and education across Wales. Whether you are considering postgraduate training or are already training in Wales, HEIW is committed to supporting your professional development and helping you navigate the UK dental training system.
HEIW oversees postgraduate dental education and training across Wales, providing opportunities for dentists to develop their clinical, professional and leadership skills throughout their careers.
For information about current training programmes, recruitment and application processes, visit the relevant Dental Training Programmes pages:
Dental foundation training - HEIW
Dental Specialty Training - HEIW
Understanding How Dental Training Works
Postgraduate dental training in the UK is designed to support continuous professional development through structured supervision, assessment and reflection.
As a trainee, you may be expected to engage with:
- Educational supervision and regular review meetings
- Workplace-based assessments
- Personal development planning
- Portfolio-based learning and evidence collection
- Reflective practice
- Quality improvement activities
- Clinical governance and patient safety initiatives
These processes are intended to support your development and demonstrate progression throughout training.
Support for International Dental Graduates
Starting training in a new healthcare system can be both rewarding and challenging. HEIW aims to provide an inclusive and supportive training environment where all trainees can thrive.
We recognise that international dental graduates may have specific learning and development needs as they adapt to training and practice within the NHS. HEIW supports trainees through a range of funded educational resources and development opportunities, including completion of the SCRIPT programme.
We encourage trainees to seek advice and support whenever needed and to make full use of the resources available through HEIW and their training programme.
Useful Resources
The following organisations provide information that may be particularly helpful for international dental graduates undertaking postgraduate training in the UK:
COPDEND: Home - COPDEND
Dental Training Programmes in Wales: Dental Training Programmes - HEIW
General Dental Council (GDC): General Dental Council
e-Learning for Healthcare (e-LfH): NHSE elfh Hub