Return to practice with confidence — knowledge refreshed, skills rebuilt

Stepping back into clinical dentistry after time away can feel daunting. This six‑module programme is designed to help you rebuild confidence and competence for contemporary general dental practice in a safe, supportive and non‑judgemental learning environment.

Delivered by LonDEC at King’s College London Dental Institute, the course combines face‑to‑face teaching with intensive hands‑on training in a phantom head skills lab, so you can update your decision‑making and sharpen the practical skills you need for day‑to‑day dentistry.

Who this programme is for

• Dental professionals returning to practice after a career break
• Clinicians completing or recently completing the ORE who want structured support transitioning into UK practice
• Practitioners looking for a refresher on NHS dentistry, ethics/record keeping, evidence-based guidelines and core restorative techniques

What you’ll cover (built for real-world practice)

Across six one‑day modules you’ll revisit the key pillars required to return to work successfully and confidently:

NHS practice and compliance

• Understanding how to navigate NHS dentistry rules and regulations
• Recognising common areas of misunderstanding and reducing risk through accurate documentation and clinical justification

Ethics, consent and record keeping

• Refreshing the ethical and legal foundations of UK dental practice
• Practical application of valid informed consent, transparency, confidentiality and robust record keeping aligned with regulatory expectations

Evidence-based dentistry and clinical standards

• Using evidence to support diagnosis, treatment planning and referrals
• Working with UK guideline frameworks referenced in the programme (including BSP, SDCEP, FGDP and NICE)
• Strengthening case presentation standards and documentation expectations

Core restorative skills (hands-on)

• Indirect restorations: material‑specific preparation techniques, reduction principles and avoiding common errors
• Temporisation and luting: provisionalisation techniques and cementation/adhesion principles tailored to clinical scenario and restorative material
• Contemporary direct restorations: practical composite techniques (with a supplementary review of amalgam use where appropriate), including layering, finishing and polishing protocols

How you’ll learn

• 6 one‑day modules designed for busy practitioners
• A blend of didactic teaching, practical workshops and peer-led discussion
• Three lecture days plus three hands‑on skills days in a phantom head laboratory
• Comprehensive course notes to support consolidation between modules

What you’ll take back to practice

By the end of the programme, you’ll be better equipped to:

• Approach NHS dentistry with greater clarity and confidence
• Apply ethical and legal principles consistently in everyday clinical scenarios
• Use evidence and guideline-based reasoning to support safe, defensible clinical decisions
• Rebuild proficiency in indirect and direct restorative workflows through structured hands‑on practice

CPD and certification

• Verifiable CPD is awarded per module (36 hours total)
• Receive a certificate of attendance from LonDEC, King’s College London Dental Institute

Tutor

Delivered by Ms Chrisoula Nicolopoulos (BDS, PG Dip Med Ed).