Hospital dental staff are employed by NHS trusts on the same basis as their medical colleagues, both in training and career grades. They provide secondary care services and consultant back-up for those in primary care in the General Dental Service and Salaried Service, together with emergency trauma services. The main specialties practised are Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry and Restorative Dentistry, together with its sub-specialties of Periodontics, Prosthodontics and Endodontics. There are also the additional dental specialties, which include Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine and Oral Microbiology.

Dentists working in hospitals throughout the UK are supported by the Central Committee for Hospital Dental Services (CCHDS) and the Hospitals Group.

CCHDS is concerned with all matters that involve hospital dental staff, including issues related to hospital dentistry and acts as a conduit between hospital dental staff and the British Medical Association (BMA) which negotiates hospital terms and conditions of service.

The Hospitals Group provides opportunities for high quality Continuing Professional Development, tailored to hospital dentists’ needs, and for social contact with colleagues. It runs relevant and accessible study days, events and courses, and the Annual Presidential and Scientific Conference. The group’s remit is to promote public welfare by encouraging and serving the scientific, clinical and social interests of members of the dental profession in the hospital service.