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Q&A


VITAL VISION


Dental and maxillofacial radiology off ers a career at the cutting edge of both dentistry and digital imaging technology


PHOTO: DEMETRIOS HALZONETIS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY


hospitals and schools, with appropriate rotations to teaching hospitals, district general hospitals and specialist hospitals. Candidates are required to pass examinations for a Diploma in Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology (DDMFR) of The Royal College of Radiologists. There are also workplace-based assessments. Dentists can apply for fl exible or part-time training if there are “well-founded individual reasons”. Before acquiring a CCST the trainee will be


expected to be capable of providing an independent diagnostic dental and maxillofacial radiology service off ering specialist advice to clinicians with direct responsibility for the treatment of patients. This includes running a department with appropriate knowledge of the spectrum of staffi ng issues, radiological techniques and safety issues.


The job Dental radiologists working in a hospital setting handle referrals for radiographic services beyond the scope of general dentists and other specialists. These must be checked and approved along with appropriate protocols for


the investigation selected. A clinic list may be as varied as carrying out a CBCT evaluation of a prospective implant site to a sialogram to assist in the location of a salivary gland obstruction. Research and training are also common


aspects of the job. Dental radiologists are heavily involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching as well as undertaking research or other original work. Clinical audit is also an important part of the job. For more information on career prospects


in dental and maxillofacial radiology go to the website of The British Society of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology (www.bsdmfr.org.uk).


Sources • Careers in dental surgery. 2012 The Faculty of Dental Surgery. The Royal College of Surgeons of England. www.tinyurl.com/ckdvzv2


• Curriculum for Specialist Training in Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology. 2010 Royal College of Radiologists and British Society for Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology. www.tinyurl.com/cp8z7oy


Mr Donald Thomson, consultant in dental and maxillofacial radiology at Dundee Dental Hospital


• What attracted you to a career in dental radiology? I enjoyed radiology and radiography as an undergraduate and I was always interested in anatomy and pathology. This interest in radiology continued after graduation, particularly as part of the oral medicine and oral surgery posts.


• What do you enjoy most about the specialty? It is rewarding to bring together various parts of the diagnostic puzzle and be able to arrive at the fi nal diagnosis. I particularly enjoy the investigation of some of the rarer conditions which aff ect the teeth and jaws, and over the last few years CBCT has played an increasing role in this. There is still a lot of patient contact but not usually on a recurring basis.


• What do you fi nd most challenging? Although there is a tendency to think of a radiologist as someone who sits in a darkened room, there is a lot of interaction with other clinicians. There can be some confrontation when a particular investiga- tion cannot be justifi ed but you should be able to explain your reasoning.


• Have you been surprised by any aspect of the job? As most dental and maxillofacial radiolo- gists work in dental hospitals, I was always aware that teaching would be a large part of my job. I was surprised by the actual amount of undergraduate and postgraduate training of dentists that is expected.


• What personal attributes do you feel are important in dental and maxillofacial radiology? An ability to think logically and also laterally and an ability to communicate eff ectively are all important.


• What advice would you give to a student or trainee considering the specialty? I do not think that you can have too much experience of clinical dentistry before considering the specialty. Clinical experience greater than that obtained in dental foundation training is advantageous and broad experience of as many of the dental specialties as possible is required. Many of the cases requiring more complex investigations are referred from oral medicine and oral surgery clinics and experience of these specialties was invaluable to me prior to embarking on my career in DMFR.


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