Table 1Transition record

dental practitionertospecialist dentist

A dental practitioner already meets 74% of what the specialist dentist role asks for. The move turns on 1 required skill not yet in the profile.

From dental practitioner

74%

Overlap1

To specialist dentist

24 Skills carried over

1 Required, not held

31.8 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 31.8

This move: 31.8 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the specialist dentist role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the dental practitioner profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 24 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A specialist dentist role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a dental practitioner background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held carry out local anesthesia in dental procedures assisting and caring
already held diagnose abnormalities of dental-facial structures information skills
already held manage dental emergencies assisting and caring
already held perform dental clinical examination information skills
already held perform oral health diagnosis information skills
already held treat tooth decay assisting and caring

All 24 carried skills, including the 8 the specialist dentist role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 12 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 information skills 1 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held examine dental models and impressions required

optional, not held evaluate clinical outcomes of dental hygiene interventions optional
optional, not held observe patient throughout dental treatment optional
optional, not held analyse X-ray imagery optional
optional, not held perform dental charting optional

02 assisting and caring 2 supplementary

optional, not held perform dental hygiene interventions optional
optional, not held prepare patients for dental treatment optional

03 health and welfare 2 supplementary

optional, not held orthodontics optional
optional, not held oral surgery optional

04 communication, collaboration and creativity 1 supplementary

optional, not held teach dentistry optional

05 handling and moving 1 supplementary

optional, not held maintain dental station and operatory optional

06 management skills 1 supplementary

optional, not held supervise dental technician staff optional

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 1 entries a specialist dentist role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

01 examine dental models and impressions skill · occupation specific

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 24 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held carry out local anesthesia in dental procedures skill
already held correct dentofacial deformities skill
already held diagnose abnormalities of dental-facial structures skill
already held manage dental emergencies skill
already held perform dental clinical examination skill
already held perform oral health diagnosis skill
already held perform reconstructive oral surgery skill
already held treat tooth decay skill
already held conduct continuing professional development workshops skill
already held conduct health related research skill
already held contribute to practice innovation in health care skill
already held discuss dental treatment options with patient skill
already held employment law knowledge
already held handle payments in dentistry skill
already held impact of social contexts on health knowledge
already held inform policy makers on health-related challenges skill
already held manage healthcare staff knowledge
already held organise public oral health programmes skill
already held pedagogy knowledge
already held provide instruction in orthodontic procedures skill
already held record healthcare users' billing information skill
already held train employees skill
already held use foreign languages for health-related research skill
already held use foreign languages in patient care skill

11 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held evaluate clinical outcomes of dental hygiene interventions optional
optional, not held maintain dental station and operatory optional
optional, not held observe patient throughout dental treatment optional
optional, not held perform dental hygiene interventions optional
optional, not held prepare patients for dental treatment optional
optional, not held supervise dental technician staff optional
optional, not held teach dentistry optional
optional, not held analyse X-ray imagery optional
optional, not held orthodontics optional
optional, not held perform dental charting optional
optional, not held oral surgery optional

59 held skills the specialist dentist role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role accept own accountability skill
not needed by the target role advise on healthcare users' informed consent skill
not needed by the target role anaesthetics knowledge
not needed by the target role apply context specific clinical competences skill
not needed by the target role apply organisational techniques skill
not needed by the target role build community relations skill
not needed by the target role clinical disciplines in dentistry knowledge
not needed by the target role communicate in healthcare skill
not needed by the target role comply with legislation related to health care skill
not needed by the target role comply with quality standards related to healthcare practice skill
not needed by the target role contribute to continuity of health care skill
not needed by the target role correct temporomandibular joint abnormalities skill
not needed by the target role cosmetic dental procedures knowledge
not needed by the target role counsel on nutrition and its impact on oral health skill
not needed by the target role deal with emergency care situations skill
not needed by the target role deal with patients' anxiety skill
not needed by the target role dentistry science knowledge
not needed by the target role develop a collaborative therapeutic relationship skill
not needed by the target role differentiate between maxillofacial tissues skill
not needed by the target role educate on the prevention of illness skill
not needed by the target role empathise with the healthcare user skill
not needed by the target role ensure safety of healthcare users skill
not needed by the target role fit dental appliances skill
not needed by the target role follow clinical guidelines skill
not needed by the target role interact with healthcare users skill
not needed by the target role interpret findings from medical examinations skill
not needed by the target role keep records for dental prostheses skill
not needed by the target role lead the dental team skill
not needed by the target role listen actively skill
not needed by the target role manage adverse reactions to anaesthesia skill
not needed by the target role manage edentulous patients skill
not needed by the target role manage healthcare users' data skill
not needed by the target role manage infection control in the facility skill
not needed by the target role manage occlusion skill
not needed by the target role medico-biological and medical sciences related to dentistry knowledge
not needed by the target role minimise occupational hazards in dentistry practice skill
not needed by the target role mouth anatomy knowledge
not needed by the target role perform multiple tasks at the same time skill
not needed by the target role promote health and safety policies in health services skill
not needed by the target role promote inclusion skill

19 further entries not listed here

2 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held orthodontics optional
optional, not held oral surgery optional

Index

Other moves recorded from dental practitioner

Full index of moves from dental practitioner

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.