A practical resource to help in the support of non-uk, eea qualified dental practitioners practising in the uk january 2011 Updated April 2012 Contents

Annex 2: A summary of key points of variation across the non-UK EEA member states

It is clear that significant variations exist between non-UK EEA member states. The most obvious difference seems to focus on the use of the dental team, particularly the wider dental team. In certain countries, for example, in the Netherlands, the team approach is well developed with all dentists working with full-time chair-side nursing support and large numbers of dental therapists, hygienists and some clinical dental technicians. However, just across the border, in Belgium, few dentists work with chair-side assistants (dental nurses) and there are no dental hygienists or therapists or clinical dental technicians.

There are also wide variations between the systems for the provision of oral healthcare between countries and many practitioners from non-UK EEA member states will have relatively little or no experience of working within a publicly-funded health service. This is particularly evident in former Eastern Bloc countries, many of whom have, in the last 20 years, changed from a purely public dental service to a purely private system. More recently, these countries have ceased foundation training. In many EEA member states the concept of clinical governance is defined differently to that in the UK.

Table 2: Summary of key variations across the non-UK EEA member states

Key points to consider about the individual or their country of origin

Belgium

Bulgaria

Czech Republic

Denmark

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Lithuania

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Spain

Sweden

Is professional dental indemnity compulsory?

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Is hepatitis B inoculation compulsory?

Y

N

Y

N

Y

N

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Y

N

N

Is continuing professional education compulsory?

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

N

Experience of working in a publicly funded health service

L

L2

L

H

L

L

L

L

M

L

M

L

M

L6

L

L8

M

L

M

Experience of clinical governance requirements

L

L

L

L

L

M

L

L

L

L

L

L

M

L

L

L

L

L

M

Is DF1 training programme available?

Y1

N

Y3

Y4

N

Y

N

Y5

Y

N

Y

Y14

N

Y7

N

N9

N10

N

N11

Is DF2 training programme available?

N

N

N

N

N

N13

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N9

N10

N

N

Experience of working with a dental nurse

L

L

H

H

L

H

L

H

H

H

H

M

H

H

H

L

H

H

H

Experience of working with a dental hygienist

N

N

L

H

N

L

N

L

H

M

M

M

H

L

L

L

L

H

H

Experience of working with a clinical dental technician

N

N

N

H

N

N

N

N

L

N

N

N

H

N

N

N

N

N

N

Experience of working with a dental therapist

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

H

N

N

N

N

N

N

Experience of working with an orthodontic therapist

N

N

N

N

N

Y12

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Colour Key to table:

L	Low/Limited		M	Moderate		Y	Yes
N	No		H	High

Footnotes to table

1. 
   If qualified after 2002
   
2. 
   If qualified after 1990, before then high
   
3. 
   If qualified before 2009
   
4. 
   Only if the practitioner has graduated in the last 10 years
   
5. 
   If qualified before 2004
   
6. 
   If qualified after 1992, before then high
   
7. 
   If qualified since 1993
   
8. 
   Unless qualified before 1990
   
9. 
   If qualified between 2001 and 2009. Some new graduates are now offered FT
   
10. 
    If qualified after 2009
    
11. 
    Unless qualified before 1993
    
12. 
    Orthodontic nurses work in some lander (regions)
    
13. 
    In Germany there is a 2 year period in which new graduates work as an assistant to an established dentist. There is no training in secondary care and the training does not equate to foundation training
    
14. 
    FT is available in Malta but is not compulsory