Validation Supervisor Training

This course is an opportunity to develop your skills to support colleagues who are new to the NHS. Being a Validation Supervisor (Mentor) iis hugely rewarding and a wonderful way to welcome the skills of colleagues from diverse backgrounds into the workforce.

Course Overview

This course is designed to equip experienced dental professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively mentor and support colleagues who are new to working within the NHS. As a Mentor (Workplace Supervisor), you play a crucial role in ensuring that dentists with conditional performer numbers are safely and confidently integrated into NHS practice.

The role is both professionally fulfilling and instrumental in fostering a diverse, inclusive, and competent dental workforce. By guiding new colleagues through their initial transition period, mentors help ensure high standards of patient care and professional development are maintained across NHS services.

Who Should Attend

This course is ideal for GDC-registered dentists with NHS experience who are interested in becoming a Validation Supervisor (Mentor) and supporting colleagues entering the NHS workforce via the Performer List Validation by Experience (PLVE) pathway or similar schemes.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the training needs of Mentee dentists: Learn to assess existing skills, knowledge, and areas for development using a structured, supportive approach.
• Appreciate the importance of reflective learning: Understand how to encourage self-assessment and critical thinking in mentees to support lifelong learning and growth.
• Understand the principles of successful tutorials: Gain insight into how to plan, structure, and deliver effective tutorials that meet educational objectives and address mentees’ individual needs.
• Give useful feedback: Develop the ability to provide constructive, evidence-based feedback that motivates and guides improvement, using frameworks such as the "feedback sandwich" or Pendleton’s rules.
• Recognise and manage inadequate performance: Learn to identify early signs of performance concerns and apply appropriate strategies to manage them, including escalation when necessary.

Course Benefits

• Enhances your leadership, communication, and educational skills
• Contributes to your continuing professional development (CPD)
• Helps strengthen the future of NHS dentistry by supporting workforce development
• Builds confidence in mentoring and supervising colleagues from diverse clinical and cultural backgrounds

Outcome

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will be eligible to apply for roles as Validation Supervisors (Mentors), enabling them to support dentists with conditional performer numbers as they work towards full integration into NHS England services.