As a Dental Officer, you will provide a high standard of dental care to RAF personnel. Depending on your duty Station this could range from providing dental care to recruits undertaking basic training through to fast jet pilots at front line flying units. All RAF personnel are entitled to receive free dental care to ensure that they are fit for military service. At the core of this care programme is a preventative philosophy that gives high priority to dental screening and regular dental inspections. RAF dentists carry out a full range of treatment in an environment which encourages and values high quality care. Older patients, for example, may present with complicated dental problems, requiring advanced clinical solutions. Younger personnel, on the other hand, may present with problems such as impacted third molars.
Like all RAF service personnel, you are required to be flexible as to where you work. You will be expected to move location every few years, the average tour length being 3 years. It is likely that you will be based in a Dental Centre on an RAF Station within the UK, supported by both uniformed and civilian staff. Depending on the size of your patient base, you may be the only dentist, or you may work in a multi-chair practice with other clinicians. During your service career there is the possibility to be assigned overseas. This could mean working on one of our overseas bases, carrying out routine dentistry for service personnel and their families, or providing primary dental care in the field on operations. Whether you are working in a practice or under canvas, you will have all the facilities, training, equipment and support that you need.
Whether you are working either as a Regular or Reserve Dental Officer you will deliver a high standard of care sometimes in demanding conditions, including the extra challenge of working in a field hospital or a deployed medical treatment facility.