Sir, the paper by Oxley, Dennick and Batchelor1 presents our profession with some potentially challenging findings. Despite the limitations of this research, including how 'standards' were defined and any potential bias related to the poor return rate, we were disappointed by the negative tone of the discussion. Surely as a profession we should be delighted that so many of our new graduates are patient focused with good communication skills, with an emphasis on health prevention and professionalism.

As we educate final year students in an NHS primary care outreach setting, we are only just the other side of the divide between pre-qualification and foundation training. We have reported previously that students feel prepared for the challenges of qualification, NHS practice and DFT.2 At the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy we do encourage the more advanced clinical skills of endodontics and crown and bridge, but with many patients on red and amber care plans these treatment modalities are often not appropriate to the frustration of both the students and their clinical teachers.

Our 'junior colleagues' need to leave undergraduate dental education after five years. Yes, they could gain more clinical experience, particularly in diagnosis and care planning, with additional time at dental school and in outreach situations, but surely this experience is the rationale for the provision of our well-funded foundation training. It is perhaps ironic, at a time when dental schools are increasingly making use of motivated, enthusiastic, part-time general dental practitioners to teach clinical skills to undergraduates, that a different group of general practitioners, the foundation trainees' educational supervisors, feel that those clinical skills are inadequate. As the educational supervisors are overseen by COPDEND and the clinical teachers by dental schools, perhaps one solution to the alleged problem lies in improved communication between these two authorities.

In addition, we are aware that the significant majority of foundation trainers go far beyond the extra mile to professionally and clinically support and develop their foundation dentists. Therefore, it is essential that the funding formula for the educational supervisors is allocated appropriately so that our junior colleagues can continue to be well supported as they take their first steps in practice.