Dental schools encouraged
Figures published today by the Dental Schools Council show a promising increase in overall staffing numbers to the highest recorded since the first survey of clinical academic dentist levels in 2000.
As of July 2012 there were 566 Full-Time Equivalents (FTE) employed by the 18 dental schools, which represents a 20 per cent increase (+95 FTE) since 2007. This has occurred in the context of both an increase in dental student numbers due to new schools at Peninsula, Aberdeen and UCLan, and due to the separate reporting of Clinical Teachers, which accounts for the larger part of the increase (77 FTE).
Data showed funding for clinical academic posts to be split at 78 per cent from the four Higher Education Funding Councils, 17 per cent from the NHS and five per cent from research councils, charities and endowments. The positive effect of sustained investments from these bodies, as well as investment into the clinical academic pathway from others such as the National Institute of Health Research and the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills, has resulted in tangible improvements.
Key findings of the Dental Schools Council survey as at July 31, 2012 are:
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