Job Advert
About the Organisation:
As Scotland’s smallest health board, NHS Orkney is committed to delivering excellent care to our 22,000 residents. Whether you’re new to the NHS or bringing experience from elsewhere, your skills will make a real difference.
Our modern healthcare facility, The Balfour, brings together inpatient care, emergency services, outpatient clinics, diagnostics, GP practices and the Scottish Ambulance Service. We’re also investing in services across our outer isles, ensuring high-quality care reaches every corner of Orkney.
We are guided by our core values that shape everything we do – Open and honest, Respect and Kindness – from how we care for our patients to how we support each other as colleagues.
About Orkney:
With over 70 islands – 20 of them inhabited – Orkney offers a unique blend of natural beauty, close-knit community and an opportunity for adventure. From dramatic coastlines and rare wildlife to rich cultural traditions and active lifestyles, it’s a place where compassion thrives and every day brings something new. Regularly named one of the UK’s best places to live, Orkney offers a lifestyle that’s both fulfilling and inspiring.
The Position:
An opportunity has arisen for a Senior Dental Officer position within NHSO.
The post holder will have a key responsibility for the delivery of Orthodontics in Orkney, as well as providing clinical leadership across other areas of the Public Dental Service. Training and support will be provided via our Consultant led Orthodontic service and this provides an excellent opportunity to work at Special Interest level.
There will be a requirement to provide emergency dental cover as part of the wider team, including contribution to the out of hours service on an approximately 1 in 8 rota, with renumeration. Islands and Remote & Rural Allowances further enhance the level of pay for this post.
The post offers an opportunity to benefit our patients through the post-holder’s clinical experience, but also through clinical leadership aspects. This will include having a key a role in clinical governance, quality improvement and service developments, as part of the dental leadership team.
Working in the smallest Board in Scotland provides a great opportunity to hold a varied role such as this, and we are therefore seeking an adaptable, resilient individual to join our team. Orkney is a thriving group of Islands with perfect opportunities in our communities to strike the right work-life balance.
The Candidate:
It would be expected that the candidates will be a Dental Practitioner with extensive experience and hold full GDC registration.
Candidates should have recent experience working in a primary care setting, possess evidence of current and relevant continuing professional development.
It would be expected that individuals can work autonomously and as part of a team.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at Garson Dental Clinic
The successful candidate will work: Full Time 37.5 hours per week
This post is Permanent
It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NHS Orkney.
Benefits and Salary:
Did you know NHS Scotland salaries are higher than those in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland?
The salary for this post is Senior Dental Officer £84,180 - £98,460 and if residing on Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,654 pro rata per annum, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us. This post is also eligible for Remote Areas Allowance and pay is further supplement by participation in the on-call rota.
NHS Orkney also offers an attractive pension scheme, wide range of work life balance policies, employee assistance programme and various discounts to both local and national retailers.
Further Information:
If you share our vision and are ready to be part of Team Orkney, we’d love to hear from you. Your rewarding career starts here!
We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may need during the recruitment process, and you will be asked whether you require any during your application. If there are additional requirements you would like to request, please contact ork.recruitment@nhs.scot
For further guidance on the recruitment process and tips for creating a strong application, please refer to our Candidate Application Pack.
To find out more about this opportunity please contact Steven Johnston, Director of Dentistry on steven.johnston2@nhs.scot
This post is subject to a Protecting Vulnerable Groups Check
Interview Date: Friday 3rd of October 2025