Dental jobs in United Kingdom

‘’WORKING AT COOMARA IS THE BEST MOVE I EVER MADE"

Are you looking to find a place where you can strike the right balance? Looking for somewhere where you can enjoy a fulfilling workday, giving the best to our lovely clients and patients, but also where you can get the best for you: time to recharge, time to spend with loved ones, time to work on your career development.

About Us

We’re an independent (and staying that way!), 6-vet, family-run mixed practice in Carlisle, on the outskirts of the Lake District. It’s been an exciting time for Coomara Vets; we moved into our brand-new premises in December 2023, an old Victorian manor house, and we’re delighted with our modern, purpose-built facilities, which include our state-of-the-art kennels and gold-standard cattery, an imaging suite, dental suite, theatre, and three consult rooms. Our caseload is a mix of mainly small animal and farm (mostly dairy, some beef and sheep), with the occasional equine call.

For Charlotte, Coomara has held a special place in her heart since she first stepped through the doors at age 14 for work experience. She completed her EMS training here and, after working in other practices for a few years following graduation, was invited to join the team in 2011. When the original owners announced plans to sell a couple of years later, Charlotte knew she had to step in to preserve the special culture at Coomara and keep the fantastic team together. It’s such a supportive and relaxed environment where the whole team works together to provide the best for our patients, clients and each other. This is what some of our vets have to say about working here.

“I really felt like I hit the ground running here. The team is great, and the caseload is pretty varied. It's really allowed me space to settle in as a new graduate and an opportunity to really expand my clinical abilities. Plus, the hours allow for a great work-life balance!” Joey MRCVS

“I never realised how much I could enjoy being at work until I joined the Coomara 'family' team.” Sarah MRCVS

Vet Hannah emigrated to New Zealand in 2023, but this is what she had to say about her time with us:“Coomara has been a great place to start my veterinary career. The team are so welcoming and friendly, and there is always support when you need it. Everyone is happy to help each other work through cases, so you'll never have to struggle through a complicated case alone. We're encouraged to follow our interests, and I've been sent on some great CPD, including a fantastic surgical course when Charlotte noticed I was struggling with surgical confidence. There’s a good work-life balance: it's very rare that you stay late in the evening, and there's also the added bonus of a day off after time on-call!” Hannah MRCVS

Charlotte loves large animal work but also has a particular interest in small animal medicine, having completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Small Animal Medicine in 2021. Sarah has been at Coomara since 2015 and works part-time. She particularly enjoys equine work and holds an RCVS certificate in Equine Practice. Jenny has a keen interest in small animal surgery and orthopaedics and is always happy to mentor someone looking to advance their surgical skills. Emma joined the team in 2024 after relocating from Scotland, where she had gained two years of experience in a busy mixed practice following graduation. Joanna, the newest member of our team, joined us after graduating in 2024. She has quickly settled in and is making great progress with her VetGDP.

We are an RCVS-accredited nurse training practice with an amazing nursing team of 4 RVNs, 1 SVN and 1 ACA. Our clinical team is fully supported by Pete, our Practice Manager and Director, as well as our fabulous receptionists.

“I came to Coomara after working for a corporate for over a decade! The team are so supportive - like a warm hug on a cold day! Clients are lovely, patients are varied, we see a wide variety of conditions, and we have all the tools to have a go. If you came to Coomara tomorrow, you wouldn’t be disappointed!” Michaela RVN

“Working at Coomara is the best move I've ever made. You’re not just a number; you’re part of a family.” Alison, Receptionist

“I enjoy working in a close-knit team where everyone looks after each other.” Laura, RVN

About the role

Emily, who joined us as a new graduate in 2023, is moving on to focus on large animal work and will be greatly missed. This is what she had to say about her time here, “I started working at Coomara after graduating, and I couldn’t have picked a better place to start my veterinary career. The team is friendly, fun, and supportive – no problem has ever been too big or too small! The good work-life balance gives time to explore the beautiful area.” Emily MRCVS

With Emily's departure, we're looking for a mixed vet with some experience to join our team. We're committed to supporting your professional growth, whether that means pursuing a certificate or developing a specific area of expertise. We're always open to new ideas, and our new premises offer ample space to expand our services.

If you're still in the early stages of your career, don't worry – we offer a strong support system. Our entire team is eager to share their knowledge, and Charlotte, our VetGDP Advisor, excels at mentoring less experienced vets, helping them build confidence and refine their skills as they navigate their early years in practice.

Our full-time vets work a 4-day week. We start our days at 8.30 am when the team meets for a huddle to plan the day, discuss cases, and receive any patient handovers from the OOHs. You will have two 5 pm finishes and two 6.30 pm finishes. We all have an equal share of the duties, and you’ll have set operating, consulting and large animal days, so there will be plenty of opportunities to practice and develop your skills. We also ensure you have time to take a break with an hour for lunch and time to catch up on admin and make calls.

Our OOHs rota is just 1:4, with a 3-day week after a weekend on call. There are no routine Saturday consults with this role, as Jenny and Charlotte cover our Saturday mornings. This means our on-call vet is free to handle any emergency or farm calls, knowing that the routine work is being handled and under control. For less experienced vets, Charlotte provides backup as 2nd on-call and is available to chat through cases and offer advice or hands-on assistance when needed. We can be flexible with the rota, so if you are looking for part-time hours, we would be happy to discuss the options available, including participation in the shared OOHs rota.

What we get up to outside of work

We all enjoy a good laugh outside of work. Beyond our annual family summer BBQ and Christmas parties, which are always a great time for everyone, we also have a social secretary who organises quarterly team socials. Our last one was a fun night of bowling, and we often have ad hoc get-togethers for a night on the town, a meal, or simply making the most of everything the local area has to offer.

We also enjoy being part of our local community, participating in local shows, and raising money for charity. Charlotte took on the Lake District Mighty Hike, hiking 26.2 miles in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, and Pete completed the Montane Lakeland 100 Ultra Race—105 miles over the fells in 34 hours—as part of his year-long running challenge to raise money for Cumwhinton Primary School's forest school project.

Whether you fancy joining Charlotte and Pete on one of their hikes/runs or prefer a gentle walk around the lakes, there is so much to do here in the great outdoors to blow away the cobwebs. We're less than 30 minutes from Ullswater, offering fantastic opportunities for kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, and climbing. Carlisle is a lovely historic city with two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Lake District and the North Pennines) and one World Heritage site (Hadrian's Wall). We are one hour from the Northeast coastline and Newcastle and on mainline rail links to London, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

What we are offering:

• Salary of £35,000 - £50,000
• Accommodation available in a 2-bed house, separate from the practice
• CPD is encouraged, with certificates supported and funded
• Professional fees paid

If you'd like to learn more about our amazing team, please feel free to call us for an informal chat or apply now!