From London Teaching Hospitals to Rural New Zealand: Why Global Experience Makes Better Dentists

Dentistry is often defined by where you train and where you practise. For many UK dentists, that means a career spent within a familiar system, treating familiar patient groups, and working within established referral pathways. While this produces excellent clinicians, it can also limit professional growth.

My own career has taken a different path. Training and working across leading London hospitals, then relocating to rural New Zealand to serve a remote community, fundamentally changed how I practise dentistry and how I view the profession. That experience is the foundation of everything we do at Holder Dental Recruitment.

Oral Surgery Experience in London Teaching Hospitals

My clinical background is rooted in oral surgery, gained across several major London hospitals. This included high-volume exposure to complex extractions, surgical removal of impacted teeth, management of acute dental emergencies, and the assessment and performance of oral biopsies.

Working in busy hospital environments develops more than technical skill. It builds decisiveness under pressure, a deep understanding of risk management, and the ability to communicate clearly with patients who may be anxious, in pain, or facing uncertain diagnoses. Emergency work in particular demands calm clinical judgement and adaptability, skills that translate directly into high-quality general dental practice.

This hospital-based experience also reinforces the importance of knowing one’s limits and working within safe referral frameworks, a mindset that becomes even more important when practising in more isolated settings.

Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Experience with Complex Patients

Alongside oral surgery, I gained significant experience in paediatric dentistry and orthodontics at a leading London hospital. This included working with anxious children, managing behavioural challenges, and providing care under both sedation and general anaesthetic.

Treating children in a hospital setting requires patience, empathy, and the ability to tailor communication to both the child and their parents or carers. Exposure to GA and sedation lists provides invaluable insight into multidisciplinary working and reinforces the importance of prevention, early intervention, and long-term treatment planning.

These skills are particularly transferable to general practice, where confidence with anxious patients and children can dramatically improve access to care and patient outcomes.

Serving a Remote Community in Rural New Zealand

Relocating to rural New Zealand was a defining chapter in my career. Working in a remote community required drawing on the full breadth of my hospital training while adapting to a very different healthcare environment.

In rural practice, referral options are limited, specialist support may be hours away, and dentists must be confident managing a wider scope of care. This setting reinforces clinical independence, broadens procedural skill sets, and deepens professional resilience.

Just as importantly, it highlights the social value of dentistry. Serving a community with limited access to care brings a strong sense of purpose and reminds you why clinical standards, compassion, and adaptability matter so much.

Why UK Dentists Should Work Abroad

I strongly believe that every UK dentist would benefit from spending time working abroad, particularly in countries such as New Zealand or Australia. These systems offer excellent clinical governance, high standards of care, and the opportunity to practise dentistry with greater autonomy.

Working overseas accelerates professional development, builds confidence, and exposes dentists to different patient expectations, healthcare models, and workplace cultures. It also offers an improved work-life balance for many clinicians, without compromising clinical quality or career progression.

For many dentists, the experience becomes a turning point, reigniting enjoyment in the profession and opening new long-term career possibilities.

A Recruitment Company Built on Real Clinical Experience

Holder Dental Recruitment was created as a direct result of my own journey. Having navigated the process of working abroad myself, I understand both the professional opportunities and the practical challenges involved.

We are the only clinical-lead recruitment company focused on helping UK dentists relocate to Australia and New Zealand. That matters. It means candidates are supported by someone who understands dentistry from the inside, not just from a recruitment perspective.

We advise on roles realistically, assess clinical fit properly, and prioritise placements that support long-term professional satisfaction, not just short-term vacancies. Our goal is simple: to help UK dentists have the same positive, career-defining experience that I had.

Helping Dentists Build Better Careers

Dentistry is a global profession, and the skills developed in UK training are highly valued internationally. With the right guidance, working abroad can be one of the most rewarding decisions a dentist makes.

Holder Dental Recruitment exists to make that step clearer, safer, and more rewarding. Built on genuine clinical experience across hospital dentistry, paediatrics, oral surgery, and rural practice, we help dentists expand their horizons and build careers that are both professionally fulfilling and personally sustainable.