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Dental therapists carry out routine treatments prescribed by a dentist.
You could work: between 8am and 6pm;
In your day-to-day duties you might:
You may need to wear protective clothing.
You could work at a dental practice, in an NHS or private hospital or at a school.
You can get into this job through:
You'll need a degree or diploma in dental therapy approved by the General Dental Council.
You'll also need relevant work experience shadowing a dental therapist or hygienist.
You may be able to get additional student finance support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.
Some dental schools offer part-time courses for qualified dental hygienists and dental nurses wishing to become dental therapists.
You'll usually need:
You could work towards this role by starting with an advanced apprenticeship as a dental nurse.
After a few years' experience you could study a degree or diploma whilst working.
You'll usually need:
You can find out more about becoming a dental therapist from Health Careers.
With experience, you could progress to dental practice manager. Some dental therapists become self-employed or set up their own practice and employ dentists to work with them.
You could also move into a research post or teaching, take further training or go into orthodontic therapy.