Dental Vocational Training — DVT (NES Scotland) — Dental Foundation Training 2026

Dental Foundation Training scheme in Scotland.

Places (2026)Set annually (national process)

Programme typeNational vocational training (DVT)

Anchor / baseScotland-wide

Applying for 2027 entry

2027/28 DVT applications opened on Oriel at 12pm on 16 September 2026 and closed at 12pm on 9 October 2026. NES releases application outcomes via Oriel by 1 December 2026. Practice visitation opens on 21 May 2027 for rural practices only and on 24 May for all other practices; candidate preferencing opens on 28 May; both close at 2pm on 7 June 2027. Matching results are released at 2pm on 9 June 2027 and training posts start on 1 September 2027. NES states that all dates are subject to change. NES DVT recruitment timeline · all 2027 dates.

You may apply to both Dental Foundation Training and Scottish vocational training. You can accept only one post: accepting a post in either automatically withdraws you from the other. DFT applicant guide, reviewed 3 July 2026.

Wales also advertises DFT WERO as a separate Oriel vacancy, managed by HEIW.

About this scheme

Scotland runs DVT separately via NHS Education for Scotland: one national process covering the whole country. Unlike the England/Wales/NI scheme system, applicants are matched to individual approved training practices across Scotland; unmatched applicants can approach remaining practices via the NES Dental Trainer Information System. Places vary by year — see the NES DVT Applicant Handbook, which now incorporates the former DVT booklet.

Scotland runs vocational training (DVT) as one national process via NES: applicants are matched to individual practices across Scotland rather than to regional schemes.

🗺 View this scheme on the interactive map 📄 Official scheme information