Associate Dean (Dental Specialty Training)

Health-Education-and-Improvement-Wales; Nantgarw; Hybrid; GBP 118,000 - 144,000; Part time

Job summary

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is seeking an Associate Dean (Dental Specialty Training) to provide strategic leadership for DST across Wales. The role shapes training pathways, ensuring regulatory compliance and high educational standards.

Working with the Welsh and UK dental education community, the post holder will drive governance, quality assurance, and national policy alignment while representing Wales at COPDEND and DSTAG committees.

Qualifications

• Fully registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a specialist.
• Experience in educational leadership and postgraduate training.
• Knowledge of NHS Wales DST and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for DST across Wales.
• Lead UK-wide DST development with COPDEND and DSTAG.
• Build and sustain relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee quality management and governance for DST.
• Chair competence panels and manage outcomes and appeals.
• Oversee DST delivery across secondary care and community services.
• Act as senior DST expert for Wales and engage with policy.

Skills

Advanced communication

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Change management

Leadership at senior level

Education

GDC specialist registration

Postgraduate education/leadership qualification

Royal College Membership/Fellowship

Education/leadership qualification

Job description

Main area Dental Grade NHS Medical & Dental: GP Educator Contract Permanent Hours

• Part time
• Flexible working

4 sessions per week (An agile working model to allow flexibility between home and office based working.) Job ref 082-MD020-0826

Employer Health Education and Improvement Wales Employer type NHS Site Ty Dysgu Town Nantgarw Salary £130,751 per annum pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 14/09/2026 23:59

Associate Dean (Dental Specialty Training)

NHS Medical & Dental: GP Educator

We are committed to promoting inclusion at HEIW and we welcome applications from everybody recognising the value that diversity brings to our workforce. To work in the UK, candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals require sponsorship via a Skilled Worker Visa, unless they have permission to work via another route. Please note that HEIW does not currently hold a licence to appoint skilled workers from overseas by sponsoring them to work in the UK. If successful, candidates from outside of the UK or ROI would be responsible for obtaining their own sponsorship or visa to enable them to work for HEIW - Work in the UK .

The salary scale for a Band 3 has been adjusted as part of the NHS Agenda for Change pay award for 2026/2027 and will be implemented in August 2026 backdated to 01 April 2026 where applicable.

Job overview

The Associate Dean (Dental Specialty Training) will provide strategic leadership, expert educational oversight and national influence for the planning, delivery and quality management of Dental Specialty Training (DST) across Wales. The role ensures that DST programmes are designed and delivered to meet regulatory standards, workforce priorities and service needs, supporting faculty and trainees to achieve successful educational outcomes and progress safely through training.

Working closely with the Postgraduate Dental Dean and Associate Deans for Dental Foundation and Dental Core Training, the post holder will help shape a coherent, future‑focused training pathway for the Welsh dental workforce. As a member of the Dental Deanery Senior Leadership Team, the Associate Dean contributes to the strategic direction of postgraduate dental education within HEIW and represents Wales at UK‑wide forums, including Committee of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors (COPDEND) and its subsidiary Dental Specialty Training Advisory Group (DSTAG). They will be an expert and authoritative voice on Dental Specialty Training and the system, rules and regulations governing it.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Main duties of the job

Provide strategic and operational leadership for the management, delivery and quality assurance of DST in Wales, ensuring alignment with curricula, national guidance and regulatory requirements.

Lead Wales's contribution to UK wide DST development, working with national bodies including COPDEND.

Build and sustain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Lead and oversee quality management processes for DST, ensuring robust governance and compliance with GDC Standards.

Chair Record of Competence Panels ensuring fair, evidence based decision making and appropriate management of outcomes and appeals.

Manage the delivery of DST across secondary care and community/salaried dental services, working with local education providers, Educational Supervisors and Training Programme Directors.

Act as the senior specialist for DST in Wales, demonstrating contemporary knowledge of local and national policy.

Working for our organisation

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales with statutory functions that include education and training, workforce planning, workforce development and transformation, leadership and succession planning, and careers. Our purpose is to develop a workforce that delivers excellent care to patients/service users and excellent population health. We are a Special Health Authority working closely with our partners; Social Care Wales, education providers, professional and regulatory bodies and Welsh Government.

HEIW’s is committed to developing an internal culture of choice. Our Values reflect our thoughts, feelings and beliefs in how we will, and will not, behave and treat others:

- Respect for All in every contact we have with others,

- Ideas that Improve: Harnessing creativity and continuously innovating, evaluating and improving,

- Together as a Team: Working with colleagues across NHS Wales and with partner organisations.

HEIW received the HPMA Award for Employee Engagement in 2019.

What you can expect:

- a corporate induction and 90 day Welcome itinerary,

- a meaningful values based performance appraisal process,

- the opportunity to impact upon health and social care services and the lives and wellbeing of the people of Wales.

Many of our colleagues and stakeholders have commented on the buzz and atmosphere we create by working together as “One HEIW Team”. Do you want to join that team?

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Person specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

• Fully registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) as a specialist
• Excellent knowledge of the regulatory context and requirements for dental professionals
• Understanding of assessment and workplace teaching in a postgraduate setting.
• Relevant postgraduate dental qualification including Membership / Fellowship of a Royal College in the United Kingdom
• A postgraduate qualification relevant to the role (e.g. education, leadership and management).
• Knowledge and understanding of the processes and future plans for the development of dental education and training locally and nationally

Experience

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working within the NHS at Consultant grade. This experience must have been acquired post Specialist Registration with the GDC.
• Previous experience in a formal educational role related to Dental Specialty Training e.g. Dental Training Programme Director /College Tutor/Dental Tutor and/or other relevant educational roles

Skills & Attributes

• Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh
• Ability to establish academic and professional credibility

Other

• Flexible approach to work

Skills & Attributes

• Advanced communication skills congruent with a high profile leadership role
• Ability to build trust and confidence and work collaboratively with both internal and external partners
• Able to communicate, negotiate and influence at a senior level with both internal and external stakeholders
• Demonstrate strategic thinking and proven management experience with proven track record of leading change in complex systems
• Demonstrate strong leadership skills reflecting the values of compassionate leadership
• Proven ability to implement, monitor and report on quality and outcomes of training and address areas of concern appropriately

Experience

• Considerable leadership experience and management experience at a senior level in the NHS with a demonstrable track record of delivery
• Ability to interpret and apply national guidance, specialty curricula, assessment frameworks and regulatory requirements in relation to Dental Specialty Training progression and completion
• A good academic record with evidence of involvement in the delivery and management of postgraduate dental education and training
• Understanding of assessment and workplace teaching in a postgraduate setting
• Knowledge of the structure and working of the NHS dental services in Wales, and experience of interpreting local and national policies
• Ability to establish academic and professional credibility
• Experience and understanding of postgraduate dental education in both primary and secondary care settings

It is essential that your application demonstrates how you meet the job description / person specification for this post.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.