Discover

The Spark Pathway

Explore oral health, build confidence in science and communication, and discover how you can make a difference in your community through dentistry.

Try the quizNot sure? Take the check
Students in a secondary school corridor

Spark is for anyone in Years 7 to 9 who is curious about teeth, science or helping people — especially if nobody in your family works in dentistry. Six steps, at your own pace. Nothing here needs an account.

Step 1 · Year 7

Meet the dental team

“Dentistry” is not one job. There are seven different dental professions, and every one of them is a career in its own right.

Seven jobs in the dental team

Each one is a separate career with its own training. What each one does:

  • Dentist

    Usually leads the team, and can do every kind of dental treatment.

  • Dental nurse

    Helps the team with every patient, from keeping everything clean and safe to putting patients at ease.

  • Dental hygienist

    Helps prevent and treat gum disease, and shows people how to look after their teeth.

  • Dental therapist

    Helps prevent and treat gum disease, does fillings for all ages, and takes out baby teeth.

  • Dental technician

    Makes false teeth, crowns (caps for damaged teeth) and braces, following a dentist's instructions.

  • Clinical dental technician

    Makes and fits false teeth for people who have no teeth of their own left.

  • Orthodontic therapist

    Takes moulds of teeth and fits braces, following the instructions of a dentist or an orthodontist (a braces specialist).

Did you know?

Everyone in these jobs must be registered with the General Dental Council, which checks that dental professionals are safe to work. In March 2026 there were about 132,000 entries on the register. Nearly 70,000 were dental nurses and over 47,000 were dentists. Some people are registered for more than one job.

You do not need a degree to start. Trainee dental nurses can start with no qualifications and learn while they work, on a training course or an apprenticeship. Some dental nurses later train as hygienists, therapists or orthodontic therapists.

Before you start / what did you learn?

Before: how many jobs in a dental practice can you name?

After: which of the seven surprised you, and why?

Interactive Zone

Explore oral health

Test what you have learned, and see which GCSEs matter for dentistry.

Question 1 of 6Score: 0/6

How many times should you brush your teeth each day?

For parents and carers

You do not need to know about dentistry to help. The dental team has seven registered professions, NHS dental treatment is free for under-18s, and GCSE choices in Year 9 matter. Three things to ask: what did you find out? Which job surprised you? Who could you talk to at school?

More for parents and carers

For teachers and careers leaders

Step 2 covers the dental-health content in the revised RSHE statutory guidance, in force from September 2026. Research following UK pupils found that far fewer pupils from less advantaged backgrounds take triple science; Step 6 encourages pupils to ask about it. Steps 1 and 6 support Gatsby Benchmark 2, and Step 2 links to KS3 science. Spark supplies preparation and reflection; it does not count as an employer encounter or a work-experience day on its own.

Back to top