NHS England are responsible for supervisors in recognised formal training programmes. Educational and clinical supervisors receive their training either before, or within three months, of the trainee commencing the programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommended that frontline healthcare staff including dentists and other staff providing dental services be vaccinated in priority group two. This advice was on based on their increased personal risk of exposure to infection with COVID-19 and of transmitting that infection to vulnerable patients.

Vaccinating dental staff also protects public health and enables access to services for patients. Staff were invited for their first vaccine dose before 15 February 2021 and will be have been offered their second dose within 12 weeks of their first.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that phase one of the COVID-19 vaccination programme should be targeted at reducing mortality, as well as protecting health and social care staff and systems. As a result, vaccines have first been prioritised amongst care home residents and staff, followed by people aged over 80 years old and health and social care workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors.

As set out by the JVCI, dental care staff fall under the second priority cohort during phase one, comprising of health and social care workers. The JCVI’s advice states that this not only includes those working for the NHS, but also those in independent, voluntary, non-standard and community healthcare settings.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that phase one of the COVID-19 vaccination programme should be targeted at reducing mortality, as well as protecting health and social care staff and systems. As a result, vaccines have first been prioritised amongst care home residents and staff, followed by people aged over 80 years old and health and social care workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and clinical risk factors.

As set out by the JVCI, dental care staff fall under the second priority cohort during phase one, comprising of health and social care workers. The JCVI’s advice states that this not only includes those working for the NHS, but also those in independent, voluntary, non-standard and community healthcare settings.

As a result of the safety restrictions brought in as part of the COVID-19 response, the General Dental Council (GDC) suspended Parts 1 and 2 of the Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) earlier this year.

Following engagement with exam providers, the GDC has decided it will not be practicable to run any sittings of the exams in 2020. The GDC aim to resume the ORE as soon as it is safe and viable to do so.

In the meantime, regular discussions with exam providers continue and further information will be provided to candidates as soon as it is available. Candidates who booked a place on the cancelled exams have been advised they may request a refund.

Guidance on the provision of education for the children of certain critical workers can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision

This guidance has been updated to reflect the decision to move forward with the wider opening of education and childcare settings. It is already the case that dentists and dental workers would be eligible for the support if the role they are undertaking is required to maintain the UK’s health and social care sector.