Sir, a recently conducted poll on the GDPUK online forum asked the question 'Would you consider a dental degree now?' Responses were made by 148 dentists (who validate their forum membership with a GDC number); 67% would now not consider a career in dentistry if they were starting over, and only 18% of respondents would consider a career in general practice.

Dentistry is still a very popular degree course, but the day to day job is changing rapidly. With a new NHS contract on the way and many more dental therapists qualifying, the dental workforce will have a very different look in a few years.

Dentists also face challenges with ever escalating NHS regulations, possibly reduced NHS dental funding, regulators (CQC and GDC), multiple inspections of practices, tiering leading to deskilling of non-specialists, corporate practices, increased litigation, high patient expectations and decreasing disease.

Dental students are now leaving university with massive debts (course fees alone are £45,000), lower earning power to repay those debts and with dental unemployment becoming a real issue along with possible further government spending cuts, it may take a long time to just break even. Dentistry is still a very rewarding career, but we believe the mood of the profession has changed markedly, and we call for potential applicants to dental school to be given these facts, and the results of this survey, before embarking on a dental degree course.

1. Prestwich, Manchester