Fellow travellers

Carole A Boyle asks two new Fellows about their route to a Fellowship without examination

Carole A Boyle Dental Editor, Surgeons’ News

Recently the routes to an RCSEd Fellowship have been streamlined and the process made more straightforward. Route 1 is for those Dental Fellows of sister colleges, who can apply in writing to the Faculty for consideration. Applications are processed by the College’s Membership Department.

Route 2 is for dental practitioners in a post equivalent to a consultant dental surgeon or experienced registered specialist. Proposals must be supported by five Fellows. Applications are assessed against eight criteria by a panel who make recommendations to Dental Council.

Route 3 is for those who have passed a recognised dental specialty membership examination of a Royal Surgical College and who have held membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery for a minimum of five consecutive years. Applications are assessed in the same way as Route 2. So, have you got what it takes to become a Fellow? Contact dental@ rcsed.ac.uk for more information.

Fellowship criteria

To find out more about the eight criteria used to assess Route 2 and 3 applications scan the QR code.

Professional standing

Clinical experience

Research

CPD

Dental education and training

Management and leadership

Commitment to the Faculty

Probity

FEES: Fellowship without examination fees are: UK £554 / Rest of World £207/Low Income Countries £88 www.rcsed.ac.uk/faculties/faculty-of-dental-surgery/ fellowship-in-dental-surgery-without-examination

TAMEEZA TEJANI Specialist Prosthodontist Dental Studio, Dubai Science Park, Dubai, UAE

It was a great pleasure to be elected recently as an RCSEd Fellow in Dental Surgery without examination by the College.

I applied for the Fellowship for a variety of reasons. Its significance is well recognised in universities within the Middle East, in particular the UAE. The Fellowship will distinguish my CV from other applicants if I apply for an adjunctive academic position alongside my private practice role.

Moreover, in the competitive worldwide job market the Fellowship represents a significant achievement for any clinician, which is attractive to prospective employers.

The application process was straightforward and I found the paperwork easy to complete.

Personally, the Fellowship and my recent appointment as examiner for the Membership in Prosthodontics has given me the opportunity to network with various specialist and consultants, offering me access to potential research and career opportunities worldwide. I plan to continue contributing to the College as an examiner and in any other areas that open up to me as a Fellow.

CLAIRE CURTIN

Specialist in Special Care Dentistry at Cork Dental Hospital and Senior Dental Surgeon with the HSE Dental Service in Cork, Ireland

Being a Fellow of the RCSEd is a recognised global marker of professional excellence. In my specialty I don’t have the opportunity to sit an ISFE to become a Fellow of the College.

I feel strongly that it is important to be a Fellow to show equivalence with colleagues in other specialties, promote my specialty and develop as a leader in the College’s Dental Faculty. I have worked hard to further my career and I feel this award recognises my achievements. When applying I contacted the College requesting information about the process and I promptly received documentation with comprehensive detail on the application and regulations. Once I submitted the documentation I was kept up-to-date on the progress of my application, including guidance on when I could expect a decision.

I have been involved in many aspects of the RCSEd over the last nine years in both the education and examination departments. I hope that as a Fellow I will be able to strengthen my role within the College as both an examiner and educator.

This year, The RCSEd Faculty of Dental Surgery is introducing a new suite of open access Dental Diploma examination qualifications, set at level two of the published speciality guidelines (which translates to Tier 2 in England and Wales).

The following sub-specialist Diplomas will be introduced:

آ Endodontics

آ Dental Sedation

آ Implant Dentistry

آ Oral Medicine

آ Oral Surgery

آ Paediatric Dentistry

آ Periodontology

آ Prosthodontics

آ Special Care Dentistry

Find out more at rcsed.ac.uk/NewDentalDiplomas