The impact of COVID-19 on dental core training: a single centre experience

Abstract

The dental core training programme acts as a springboard for postgraduate dentists to consider specialisation or further training. In January 2020, the outbreak of the coronavirus disease resulted in a restructuring of the National Health Service, directly affecting trainees across all specialties. At University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, dental core trainees were transferred to an alternative COVID rota with skeleton teams deployed to cover on-call duties. This paper examines whether the repercussions of the pandemic have had an objective impact on the clinical exposure of and training opportunities for dental core trainees.