Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Postgraduate Medical School (BHPMS), based at the University of Bedfordshire, has welcomed its first cohort of dentists to undertake a new Postgraduate Certificate in Dental Education.

The course was developed following a growing number of requests from dental professionals to provide an education course dedicated to their educational needs that will help build a dental education community of practice.

The group of 20 dentists from across the eastern region will cover a number of areas including chair-side teaching, utilising the dental environment for learning and approaches to the assessment of dental skills.

Trevor Austin, Senior Lecturer in Medical Education at the University and course lead for Dental Education, said: 'We hope that this structure, the collaboration with the Deanery, the involvement of dental academics and the recognition that the teaching of dentistry has some unique features, will provide a very worthwhile learning experience for all those involved.'

The PG Cert in Dental Education incorporates two modules, the first of which has a focus on workplace teaching, learning and assessment. The second module explores theories of learning relevant to clinical teachers and will have an audience composed of doctors, vets, nurses, midwives, osteopaths and dentists.