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As a parent or carer you naturally want to help your child make informed choices about their future. If your child is interested in a career in dentistry, an apprenticeship is a fantastic route offering hands-on experience, professional qualifications, and a clear pathway into the dental profession.
With more post-school options available than ever before, it’s understandable to feel unsure about where to begin. Apprenticeships in dentistry – such as the dental nursing apprenticeship – combine practical training with study, and are a great alternative to full-time university.
To support your child effectively:
- Encourage conversations - talk about their genuine career interests, strengths, and long-term goals.
- Seek trusted information - from trusted apprenticeship providers, career advisors, and official government information.
- Stay open-minded - the traditional route isn’t always the best fit for every learner.
We partner with thousands of dental practices across the UK
Once you understand what an apprenticeship is and how it works, the next step is to explore the opportunities available – especially within local dental practices. We partner with thousands of dental practices across the UK that are eager to welcome enthusiastic apprentices into their teams. These placements offer young people the chance to learn from the ground up, gaining real-world experience while building a successful career in dentistry. Our dedicated team takes the time to get to know each aspiring apprentice, understanding their goals, identifying any additional support they may need, and ensuring they feel empowered throughout their journey. This personalised approach helps every apprentice perform at their best and thrive in their chosen path.
Explore our current apprenticeship vacancies
Help your child find the perfect dental apprenticeship role by browsing our current apprenticeship vacancies within dental practices across the UK. These are roles where practices are actively seeking an apprentice to join their team.
FAQs from parents like you looking at dental apprenticeships for your child
What is an apprenticeship?
With Tempdent, apprentices gain nationally recognised qualifications while learning both in a dental practice and through structured, professional online training. This means your child will develop essential clinical skills, work alongside experienced dental professionals, and earn a wage as a valued member of the team. Unlike traditional education routes, dental apprenticeships offer real employment from day one – including a salary, holiday entitlement, and all the rights of a regular employee. By the time they complete their apprenticeship, your child will have hands-on experience, a strong foundation of industry knowledge, and valuable references to help them take the next step in their dental career with confidence.
Upon successful completion of the Level 3 Dental Nursing apprenticeship, your child will also become General Dental Council qualified, meaning they can legally practice in the UK, and become eligible for further study on post-registration courses such as Radiography, or higher level apprenticeships.
How old does my child need to be to begin an apprenticeship?
Dental apprenticeship candidates must be at least 16 years of age to enrol.
What are the entry requirements of an apprenticeship?
For our Level 3 Dental Nurse apprenticeship, no prior dental experience is required – but you must already be employed in a dental practice to enrol. All Tempdent apprenticeships require English and Maths qualifications, though the specific entry requirements can vary depending on the programme. To find the exact criteria for each apprenticeship, please visit the dedicated course page where full entry requirements are listed.
What does an apprenticeship cost?
For the apprentice, the apprenticeship doesn’t cost anything. The employer is responsible for covering the cost of the apprenticeship.
Is there any financial support available for apprentices?
Dental apprentices are paid a salary by their employer and benefit from all the same benefits as other staff members at similar levels including holiday and sick pay. As an apprentice, your child is considered to be in full time education and a student, so it is worth exploring the following benefits with them:
- A TOTUM card, which costs £14.99 per year, provides apprentices with discounts on high street and online retailers. Learn more and apply at: totum.com/apprentices
- A variety of travel discounts as a student.
- Apprentices aged 16-25 can apply for a railcard for discounted train travel.
What does an apprentice get paid?
Apprentices will be paid at least minimum wage, but many employers choose to pay more than this.
How will it affect my Child Benefit?
“Your Child Benefit stops on 31st August on or after your child’s 16th birthday if they leave education or training. It continues if they stay in approved education or training, but you must tell the Child Benefit Office.” GOV.UK
If your child leaves full-time education to start an apprenticeship, they are no longer considered your dependent. As such, families of apprentices are currently not entitled to financial support.
This includes any child maintenance you may be receiving through the statutory system, and may also impact your working tax credits, housing benefit and/or council tax reduction.
You will need to inform the Tax Credit Office and the Child Benefit Office about any changes to your circumstances. If you do not, you may be overpaid and have to pay the money back.
Does my child need a job in a dental practice to start an apprenticeship?
Yes, to start the Level 3 Dental Nursing apprenticeship (or any of our higher-level apprenticeships), your child must first be employed within a dental practice that agrees to support them throughout their learning journey.
Tempdent partners with thousands of dental practices across the UK that are actively seeking apprentices to join their teams. You can browse the latest dental apprenticeship vacancies here.
Alternatively, your child can register with our team at Tempdent to join our talent pool. This allows us to put them forward for new apprenticeship opportunities as they become available in their area.
Our dedicated Apprenticeship Recruitment Team works closely with aspiring apprentices to help them find a suitable role. We provide support with CV writing, interview preparation, and general advice to ensure they have the best chance of success. We take the time to understand each candidate’s needs so we can match them with a dental practice that fits their individual requirements – and vice versa.
Find out more about our apprenticeship recruitment service here.