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:
A wonderful opportunity has arisen to join the Public Dental Service (PDS) in Orkney. The successful applicant will be joining an established team of Dentists and Dental Care Professionals in delivering NHS General Dental Services to the population of Orkney. As a PDS department we provide Special Care Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics with visiting Restorative and Oral & Maxillofacial expertise and this post is an opportunity for development and career progression across a range of areas, should the successful candidate wish to do so.
The Candidate:
* Maybe you are an experienced General Dental Practitioner and fancy a change of pace and a new challenge?
* Or maybe you work in the Public or Community sector and are looking for an opportunity for career progression?
* You might be looking to ditch the commute and live in our beautiful islands where we enjoy some of the best quality of life in the UK?
If any of these things relate to you, this could be the job for you.
We are looking for an experienced clinician who makes patient care a priority and who thrives working with a variety of patient groups. Applicants are expected to have a high level of skill, be confident to work independently within their competencies and adopt a reflective, self-critical approach. We have excellent, modern, well-equipped facilities and a fantastic team of experienced staff.
Applicants require full GDC registration and must be eligible to hold a Board Dental List Number in Scotland. They must have excellent communication skills and the drive to provide outstanding service.
If you would like the care you deliver to make a difference, then this is the post for you.
This post is subject to Exposure Prone Occupational Health Clearance and Protecting Vulnerable Groups (Disclosure) checks.
Location, Working Pattern and Contract Duration:
This post will be based at The Balfour, in Kirkwall. as well as working from our clinic in Stromness, 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 £54,117 - £81,174 and if residing in Orkney, you’ll also receive a Distant Islands Allowance of £1,654 pro rata per annum, and subject to eligibility, up to £9000 Remote Areas Allowance, adding extra value to your rewarding career with us. As this role involves participation in the on-call rota, further remuneration of £900 per quarter plus sessional payments per weekend worked (estimated commitment of 1 weekend in 8) would be expected. The income potential from this full time role is in excess of £97,000, and subject to year-on-year pay uplift.
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
Interview Date: Tuesday 9th of December 2025