Senior Dental Officer

As Scotland's smallest health board, NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.

Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.

We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do Open and honest, Respect and Kindness from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.

With over 70 islands 20 of them inhabited Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.

As a Senior Dental Officer within NHS Orkney’s Public Dental Service, you will provide a full range of dentistry to patients of all ages while playing a key role in the delivery of care for patients with additional needs. Here in Orkney we have modern facilities and a wonderful team of experienced staff to work alongside you.

A significant part of the role involves supporting patients who require a tailored approach to treatment, including those experiencing dental anxiety, individuals with learning disabilities, medically or physically compromised patients, and those requiring domiciliary care. As a key aspect of the role, you will lead on Dental Conscious Sedation across NHS Orkney, helping to ensure the safe and effective delivery of sedation services and supporting the ongoing development of this important area of care.

The role may also include the provision of appropriate general dental services within the Public Dental Service in addition to providing Urgent Dental Care for PDS registered patients and those who are not registered in the local area. This includes, contributing to the out of hours/on-call rota (approx. 1in8) which attracts addition remuneration. Your pay is further enhanced with Remote Areas Allowance, Distant Islands Allowance and where eligible, Recruitment and Retention Allowance.

This is an excellent opportunity to bring your experience of hands‑on patient care, making a meaningful difference to some of the most vulnerable members of our community whilst also developing as a leader, helping shape the future of specialist dental services in Orkney.

You will be an experienced and motivated Dental Practitioner with full registration with the General Dental Council and recent experience working within a Public (Community) Dental Service setting. You will bring expertise in conscious sedation, alongside a commitment to delivering high-quality, patient‑centred care for individuals with a wide range of additional needs.

As the lead for Dental Conscious Sedation within NHS Orkney, you will have the knowledge, skills and confidence to work with patients who may experience dental anxiety, have learning disabilities, complex medical conditions, or require treatment in domiciliary settings. You will be committed to maintaining and developing your professional practice through ongoing continuing professional development and will be eligible to join the Health Board’s dental list.

You will possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, enabling you to build positive relationships with patients, carers and colleagues. A flexible and reliable approach is essential, as is the ability to work independently while contributing effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team. Good IT skills and a commitment to delivering safe, effective and person‑centred care are also required.

We would particularly welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate a clinical interest in sedation and special care dentistry and related fields,…