A national survey of foundation dentists’ and educational supervisors’ experiences: part 1 – motivations, achievements, and challenges

From Dental School to Real‑World Practice

For new dentists in the UK, finishing university is only the first step. Almost all go on to a year of Dental Foundation Training, where they treat patients under supervision in NHS practices. This study looks at what that year is really like for both the new graduates and the experienced dentists who train them: why they sign up, what they feel they gain, and the problems they face, from tricky treatments to bullying and harassment.

Why New Dentists and Trainers Take Part

Dental Foundation Training is designed to bridge the gap between dental school and independent practice. In this national survey, 469 new dentists and 640 educational supervisors across England, Wales and Northern Ireland shared their experiences. Most new dentists said they chose the scheme to build confidence and hands‑on clinical experience, and to join the NHS performers list without extra conditions. Supervisors, who are experienced practitioners, were mainly motivated by a wish to explore new career options, share their knowledge with the next generation, and vary their working week with teaching and mentoring.

What the Training Year Helps to Build

Overall, the new dentists felt the training year worked well for core goals. Nearly all reported that it improved their clinical skills and helped them understand how to promote patients’ oral health and provide good quality care. They also felt better able to judge their own strengths and weaknesses and to apply ethical and confidentiality rules in daily practice. Slightly fewer felt confident about tasks linked to continuing professional development, such as doing clinical audits and peer reviews, which are important for checking and improving standards of care.

Where New Dentists and Supervisors Struggle

Despite these gains, both groups highlighted significant challenges. For new dentists, the hardest part was providing complex dental care, something 62 percent struggled with during the year. Supervisors echoed this, with over a third finding it difficult to manage the clinical performance of their trainees. New dentists also reported problems completing workplace assessments, communicating with some patients, and in a smaller number of cases, working with supervisors or the wider dental team. These tensions reflect wider debates about how prepared graduates are for real‑world practice and how much of that adjustment should fall to the foundation year.

Bullying, Harassment, and Support

A worrying finding was that a minority of new dentists experienced bullying, harassment, or discrimination. Around six percent reported bullying or harassment from patients, and four percent from supervisors or team members. Some also faced discrimination from patients or staff. These figures mirror wider NHS surveys showing that poor behaviour in training environments has not disappeared. In response, training bodies have been promoting support services such as professional support units, well‑being teams, and independent contacts who can listen and act when problems arise, aiming to make it easier for trainees to speak up safely.

What This Means for Future Dentists

The study shows that the foundation year is a vital stepping stone, helping new dentists grow in skill and confidence while being guided by experienced supervisors. At the same time, it exposes pressure points: the difficulty of complex treatments, differing expectations about what a new graduate should be able to do, and the harm caused by bullying and harassment. The authors suggest closer links between dental schools and foundation schemes, clearer guidance on supervision, and firm action on poor behaviour, so that the training year can better support both learning and well‑being for tomorrow’s dental workforce.

Citation: Malaga, E.G., Movahedi, S., Mehra, S. et al. A national survey of foundation dentists’ and educational supervisors’ experiences: part 1 – motivations, achievements, and challenges. BDJ Open 12, 50 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-026-00433-0

Keywords: dental foundation training, new dentists, clinical confidence, educational supervision, workplace bullying