Dental Therapist

The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) is looking for an experienced dental therapist to join their friendly and supportive team.

The dental team (3 clinicians and 5 nurses), delivers a comprehensive range of oral health services to the local population including primary care, public health initiatives, and emergency dental care. The dental facility boasts three well-equipped surgeries with digital radiography and a small laboratory area, following UK standards of care while tailoring practices to meet the unique local needs.

The Role

This position presents an exciting opportunity for the successful applicant to contribute to the oral health of the Falkland Islands, delivering quality restorative and preventative dental care as part of the dental team.

Specific benefits of this position include:

• The support of a dental nurse in surgery,
• Autonomy over appointment length,
• Broad range of patient groups and treatments to offer,
• Access to in-house and external CPD,
• Fee-free dental service, eliminating need for financial discussions with patients.

The role is split half and half between dental hygiene and dental therapy lists, up to the full General Dental Council (GDC) scope of practice for dental therapists. Specific duties may include:

• Conducting thorough dental examinations and assessments,
• Taking and interpreting radiographs to diagnose and plan treatments effectively,
• Performing periodontal treatments to prevent and manage gum disease,
• Providing direct restorative treatments, including fillings and sealants,
• Extracting deciduous (baby) teeth safely and effectively,
• Applying fluoride treatments and other preventive measures.

In addition to your clinical responsibilities, you will be expected to:

• Participate in developing and applying the Falkland Islands' Oral Health Strategy,
• Collaborate with the wider hospital team to deliver integrated care and share best practices,
• Plan and run community engagement initiatives to promote oral health,
• Engage with schools, community groups, and others to extend the dental service’s reach.

The Person Must

• Hold a degree in Dental Therapy & Hygiene BSc (or recognised equivalent), with relevant work experience, ideally in a UK NHS practice or similar,
• Be registered with the UK General Dental Council (GDC) as a dental therapist, or be eligible to register upon accepting an offer of employment,
• Have strong communication skills to explain care needs to a diverse population,
• Be able to work and communicate effectively as part of a busy dental team.

Due to a recent change in UK legislation, this post is not available to those who whose primary qualification is an international degree or diploma in dentistry, as only individuals qualified as a dental therapist are eligible to apply for registration as a dental therapist with the GDC. For further information, please see the General Dental Council website: https://www.gdc-uk.org/registration/route-to-registration/registration-as-a-dcp-with-overseas-qualification

The Package

• Fixed term contract of up to 4 years,
• Salary range: £38,548 to £44,234 (starting salary will be dependent upon experience),
• A 25% gratuity (lump sum payment) on completion of the contract term,
• A work week of 5 hours, Monday to Friday, with no on-call or out-of-hours requirements,
• 41 days of paid leave: 30 days of annual leave and 11 days of public/government holiday,
• Relocation allowance to help with moving costs,
• Free flights for the employee and dependents at the beginning and end of the contract, plus annual return flights after the first year.
• Good quality furnished accommodation at reasonable rental rates.

How to Apply

If you are passionate about dental health and are looking for a unique and fulfilling professional experience, we encourage you to apply. Enquiries are welcomed by Heather Cowdry-Brown (Senior Dental Officer) who can be contacted by email: seniordentalofficer@kemh.gov.fk or by telephone: (+500) 28029. 

To see the full job description or submit your application, please visit our online vacancy page www.jobs.gov.fk Alternatively, an offline form can be downloaded from the same page and emailed to swilliams@sec.gov.fk prior to the closing date. 

Applications close 17th January 2025

Further Information

The Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands is a British Overseas Territory, with full internal self-government. Set in the South Atlantic Ocean, around 400 miles east of South America and 8000 miles south-west of the UK, the Islands are a small, thriving community with a British way of life and benefit from good local services, a varied social calendar and an absence of traffic jams!

The Falkland Islands provide an unspoiled landscape to explore and wildlife including penguins, whales, sea lions, and a variety of bird life. Offering new lifestyle opportunities (including a good work/life balance), you’ll find Stanley is a friendly and busy town with a range of amenities, clubs and associations.

For further information about the Falkland Islands, see: https://www.falklands.gov.fk/our-home

The Health Service

KEMH is the principal healthcare facility in the Falkland Islands, providing primary care and a broad range of elective and emergency secondary care services.  The hospital is well equipped with ambitious plans being developed to expand and upgrade facilities.

The hospital is one in which clinical staff have the time, resources, and support to provide the highest standards of care and to develop their skills.  In addition to being supported to practise with a broad scope, clinical staff are encouraged to develop particular areas of clinical expertise.

Applicants are advised that the Health and Social Services Directorate is smoke-free.

Further information regarding healthcare in the Falkland Islands can be obtained by viewing our recruitment video at https://youtube/MBqyXBasSVc

Falkland Islands Government (FIG)

As the largest employer in the Falkland Islands, we offer many unique and fulfilling job opportunities, across the full spectrum of public services. Our responsibilities include those typically managed by central government – taxation, legislation and policy, as well as those usually managed on a local level such as town planning, health and social services, and education. FIG also provides services specific to the needs of the Falkland Islands, such as fisheries research, power generation and the Government Air Service, FIGAS.

For more information about working for Falkland Islands Government, take a look at our Government site https://www.fig.gov.fk/