Dental Adviser - Dental Reference Officer

NHS National Services Scotland; Balloch; On-site; GBP 66,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Learning resources

Discounted leisure

Occupational health

Job summary

NHS National Services Scotland is recruiting a Dental Adviser / Dental Reference Officer (DRO) to support practitioners in Scotland. The post may be full-time, part-time or job-share, with placement and salary determined by qualifications and experience.

You will assess proposed general dental treatment plans, provide post-treatment verification, and ensure high standards of care in Scotland. Travel across Scotland is expected, with hybrid working.

Qualifications

• Broad knowledge of dental practice across services.
• Effective communication and professional demeanor.
• Ability to be objective and non-judgmental in care decisions.

Responsibilities

• Answer practitioner questions and review treatment plans for prior approval.
• Undertake post-treatment verification to support care quality.
• Ensure treatment plans are appropriate and meet standards for Scotland.

Skills

Dental knowledge

Communication skills

Objective judgment

Education

GDC registration

Job description

Specialty Doctor salary scale effective from 1st April 2026 is £66,404 - £103,475

On 1 April 2026, NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) became one national organisation, focused on continuity today and a stronger, more connected service for tomorrow.

As part of this transformation, NSS and NES have joined to form a new organisation: Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland). This new organisation will play a pivotal role in supporting the renewal and ensuring the long-term sustainability of health and care services across Scotland.

About the Organisation:

PSD Scotland unites expertise from NES and NSS in a way that will allow us to accelerate national programmes to support the NHS to deliver better care, now and in the future.

We support staff with education and training, provide the tools and data that improve services, and run vital national functions such as procurement, logistics and blood, tissue and cell services.

The Post:

Practitioner Services is committed to raising the standard of oral health in Scotland by ensuring that patients receive quality dental care. We are anxious to ensure that our clinical staff reflect the divergent nature of general practice in Scotland and as a result we are seeking applications from enthusiastic practitioners to fill the following post:

We are currently recruiting to fill the post of Dental Adviser / Dental Reference Officer (DRO), either full time / maximum part time or job share basis, to replace a departing colleague. The appointment(s) would be suitable for applicants with significant experience recently gained working in NHS General Dental Services in Scotland. Placement and salary will be determined by qualifications and experience.

You will answer questions posed by practitioners, consider treatment plans submitted for prior approval, as well as undertaking post treatment verification to support practitioners providing dental care, and to ensure that patients in Scotland receive treatment of an appropriate standard. The primary focus of the Dental Adviser function is to consider proposed plans for general dental treatment and decide whether the treatment can be approved, modified or whether the treatment plan is not appropriate.

The Candidate:

Applicants should have a broad knowledge of all aspects of dental practice, a commitment to continuing professional development and the ability to be objective and non-judgmental when considering the provision of clinical dental care and treatment. Effective communication skills are essential to the role. .

The successful candidate will be required to undergo a PVG Scheme check. Any candidate who have lived/worked overseas for more than 12 months in the preceding 5 years will also be required to provide a criminal record check from the appropriate overseas agency.

Candidates must have current GDCregistration at the time of applying.

Location and Working Pattern:

Gyle Square, Edinburgh or Delta House, Glasgow.

Currently hybrid working

Travel throughout Scotland will be required when undertaking DRO duties.

Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

PSD Scotland is a remote-friendly employer with colleagues based throughout Scotland. We support hybrid and office-based working arrangements where possible and welcome discussions about alternative working patterns during the application process.

It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK and have entitlement to work in the UK for the post in which you will be employed.

Benefits:

Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits.

HR Benefits Brochure.

Inclusion:

Public Services Delivery Scotland is a national organisation and, as an anchor institution, is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from all under-represented groups, including racially minoritised people and disabled people. You do not need to be working in a similar role now. Whether you are returning from a career break, such as maternity, paternity or caring responsibilities, or bringing transferable skills from another sector, your experience can bring a valuable perspective to our work. We are committed to supporting staff health, wellbeing and development, and offer a range of learning and development opportunities to promote diversity, inclusion and positive mental health. Staff can also join a range of equality networks. As an equal opportunities employer and accredited Disability Confident Leader, we offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria. Where exceptionally high application volumes make this impracticable, a fair and proportionate shortlisting approach will be applied in line with Disability Confident guidance. If you would like to discuss the role, reasonable adjustments or alternative working patterns before applying, please contact [e-mail].

Further information:

For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Gregor Preston @ [e-mail]

Closing date for completed applications is 26th October 2026.

Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e-mail only, so please check your e-mail regularly (including junk folders).

We are an equal opportunities employer and as committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies however, where exceptionally high application volumes make this impracticable, a fair and proportionate shortlisting approach will be applied in line with Disability Confident guidance.