Dental Adviser - Dental Reference Officer

NHS National Services Scotland; Inverness; Hybrid; GBP 66,000 - 103,000; Full time

Job summary

Public Services Delivery Scotland is recruiting a Dental Adviser / Dental Reference Officer (DRO) to support dentists across Scotland. The role includes assessing general dental treatment plans, approving or modifying proposals, and performing pre- and post-treatment checks to ensure high-quality care.

Applicants should have broad dental knowledge, current GDC registration, and a strong commitment to professional development with excellent communication skills.

Qualifications

• Broad knowledge of all aspects of dental practice.
• Current GDC registration.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.
• Ability to be objective and non-judgmental in clinical care and treatment decisions.

Responsibilities

• Answer practitioner questions and review treatment plans for prior approval.
• Undertake post-treatment verification to support dental care.
• Conduct pre- and post-treatment examinations to uphold consistent clinical standards.

Skills

Communication

Dental knowledge

NHS experience

Education

GDC registration

Job description

Please Note: 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 primary focus of the DRO function will be pre and post treatment examinations of patients, to ensure that consistent and appropriate clinical standards of care and treatment planning are maintained.
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 GDC registration 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.
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.