The composition of England’s single-qualification OMFS posts: a descriptive analysis of foundation year and dental core training posts

Abstract

Postgraduate exposure to oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) for medical and dental graduates differs significantly. To our knowledge, the availability and opportunities provided by these single-qualification posts have not previously been explored. We investigated the number of OMFS posts available for foundation year (FY) doctors and dental core trainees (DCTs) by using information from UK foundation schools and analysing data from Health Education England (HEE) and the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO). In 2023-24 there were over 11 times as many OMFS posts for DCTs compared with FY doctors. The implications are explored in this paper, including the impact on interprofessional working and team development. OMFS as a specialty, with teams consisting of dental and medical graduates, is distinctive for fostering interprofessional education (IPE) and collaboration (IPC). IPE/IPC has been shown to increase the knowledge of practitioners and can lead to benefits for both clinicians and patients. By understanding the national composition of single-qualification posts, we hope to establish the foundations for further research into this unique interdisciplinary learning environment.