Senior Dental Officer

County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 20 January 2026

We are seeking an experienced Dental Officer to join our growing team within the Community Specialist Dental Service as a senior member of the team. We provide Consultant led Paediatric and Special Care Dental service. This position is primarily a clinical appointment to lead in the delivery of high quality oral health care for adults and children with complex medical, physical, cognitive, sensory or social impairments who fall within the remit of the County Durham & Darlington Community Specialist Dental Service.

In addition to routine primary dental care, the post will involve the provision of treatment under Day Case General Anaesthesia and sedation as appropriate. The post holder will be expected to work from multiple sites within the wide CDDFT service area.

Due to the seniority of this role, the successful candidate will be encouraged to contribute their skills and knowledge to service development. Furthermore, the appointee would be expected to contribute to a continuous learning environment; mentoring less experienced staff and supporting other staff groups within the service.

The post holder will provide oral health care for patients requiring specialist advice and treatment within the community setting as well as providing a full range of NHS dental treatments under GDS regulations for all patients of the Community Specialist Dental Service. At Band B, the post holder will be expected to contribute as appropriate to the development and management of the service.

They will be expected to work closely with the Service Manager and Clinical Lead on all matters relating to Clinical Dentistry within and likely to impact on the service; thus aiding in ensuring the service is consistently developing to provide high quality care for our patients.

As a Band B, they will also be expected to play a key role in the service development and quality improvement alongside senior/management team, ICB, MCN and commissioners.

A requirement of this senior post is the maintenance of academic and peer review support in order to ensure the delivery of safe and effective clinical care as well as maintaining continued clinical currency.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

The post holder is required to promote the Trust's core values of care, quality, respect, leadership and achievement by adherence to the behavioural competencies as detailed on the Trust's website/intranet site.

As a member of the organisation the post holder will:

• Own individual responsibilities and share team objectives.
• Lead or contribute to creating improvement, transformation and innovation of services.
• Contribute to creating a work environment that is marked by pride, enthusiasm, civility and collaboration.
• Manage and/or contribute to financial performance and target delivery.
• Lead by action and inspire others acting as role model, demonstrating the leadership behaviours and values identified by the Trust.
• Communicate positively and effectively.
• Actively give and receive feedback in a constructive manner.
• Be adaptable, work with integrity and be trustworthy.
• Show constancy, courage and resolve in the pursuit of the vision and aims of the Trust.
• Actively contribute to improving the health and well being of the population that is served.
• Be committed to safeguarding children and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• It is the standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff that they fulfill a proactive role towards the management of risk in all of their actions. Members of staff are responsible for adherence to all Trust policies for the safety of staff and patients at work.
• Has responsibility for ensuring that children and young people are safeguarded and must comply with the NHS Safeguarding Children Procedures and the LSCB Child Protection Procedures. The post holder must attend safeguarding children training at a level appropriate to the role and function of the post. Safeguarding Children Training is mandatory for all staff within the Trust.

The post holder will have responsibility in delivering the following key result areas:

• Provision of full clinical dental care for patients with special needs.
• Provision of dental care under general…