Which Is The Best Area To Work As A Dentist In UK?

If you are looking for jobs for dentists then you have come across the question -- Which is the best area to work as a dentist in UK?

Well, we have some useful tips when trying to decide where to work as a dentist in UK.

Location, Location, Location

This expression is always so popular. Location in UK is key when it comes to where you want to practice dentistry in England, Scotland and Wales especially if you don't know which area is best for you. We are going to give you some points to consider when hunting for dental jobs in UK. There is no general rule however some tendencies can be observed. You need to be researching your area within 10 miles of the dental practice. You need to find out if there is a popular landmark nearby which everyone talks about or an area with very good links to the city. Also find out about any private schools around - these are very sought-after areas in UK where you may be able to provide high-end dental treatment in your specialist area.

Demographics

• Patient age - What is the average age of people in the area where you want to practice dentistry? If the average age of the population is around 45 years then you would expect these people to be still working. Therefore, in this area there will be a need for quality dental treatment which gives people good presentation and reputation such as Short-term Orthodontic Treatment (STO) with invisible braces, white fillings, teeth whitening etc. because these people appreciate, strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle and demand high-end cosmetic dentistry. So, this is probably a busy city area where dental practices open early and close late in the evening, possibly open on Saturdays. There are many examples of part-time dental jobs in London where dentists will work one or two days or do early morning or late evening shifts, usually open from 8am to 7pm Monday to Friday. You need to decide whether this is the area where you want to work as a dentist in UK. Be careful because there are areas where the average age of the population is lower and the birth rate is very high. This does not mean that there is a need for cosmetic dental treatment in these areas. Usually in these areas the unemployment will also be quite high so you need to research that as it will have an effect on your dental practice. For example, if you are a specialist in Orthodontics maybe the area has lots of kids with orthodontic problems where you may be of help. On the other hand, if the average patient age is 55+ years then this area is probably good for the retiring person. This may be a good area to practice restorative dentistry with full or partial dentures, implants, total rehabilitation of worn down or missing teeth. Also, let's not forget that in this area patients will still be interested in Short-Term Orthodontics and sometimes teeth whitening. Usually, this is a more relaxed town area with the usual 9-5 working hours Monday to Friday, almost never Saturdays. Patients here will be more receptive towards general dentistry and seeing a hygienist.
• Ethnicity - The ethnicity of the patients in the area will be important because everyone has a way of living and this is more or less preserved within the ethnicity. The diet will be similar, some habits and risk factors for oral health can also be similar. When risk factors add up (such as smoking, alcohol, poor diet with less variety and rich in carbohydrates, not enough exercise, etc.) you can expect to find dental practices with periodontal treatment requirements, tooth loss due to microvascular problems (diabetes, smoking), maybe high need for denture and bridge work, probably some restorative work on dental implants. Again, you need to check if this is matching your special interest for the area where you want to live.

Economics

When trying to decide where to work as a dentist in UK you need to see the economic value of the area. Is the Government actively funding local developments, is the area rapidly growing in size, are there many new buildings and big shops, is there a big transport motorway road, an airport or a port? In areas like this you will be able to provide more cosmetic dentistry because this will be a working population near a busy city. Usually, the price of the real estate properties in the area will tell you what kind of dentistry you can do and how much you can charge for your services. The so-called "commuter towns" are a good place to practice any form of private dentistry. Conversely, towns with lots of population traffic may be perfect for NHS dentistry as people will rely more on treatment funded by the Government.

Dental practice

You need to find out what practice you want to work for - NHS, private or mixed. More about how to find the best practice to be a dentist will be published in our next article. Typically, NHS will be highly available in areas of clinical need for such treatment. Areas with lots of kids, low average age and higher unemployment rate will be mainly NHS. Usually, most practices in UK are mixed and provide both NHS and some private care such as cosmetic treatment, dental implants, cosmetic veneers, whitening, white fillings on back teeth etc. Purely private practices can be in areas with NHS dentistry but patients want to be treated privately. You can expect that area like this will need dentists who are confident in the provision of cosmetic dental treatment, dental implants, teeth whitening and more.

Some very popular job searches are described below. As you notice, they will fit the patterns described in the article:

• Dentist jobs London
• Part time dentist jobs London
• Private dentist jobs London
• Private locum dentist jobs
• Locum dentist jobs
• Locum dentist Saturday

Well, hopefully that was helpful in your journey in the best area to find dental jobs in UK and practice the dentistry you love.

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See you soon!

–The Dental Radar Team