Yeovil College warmly hosts special celebration event, recognising the achievements of the first-ever cohort of Level 5 Dental Technician Apprentices
Yeovil College celebrates two special milestones, recognising its first-ever cohort of Level 5 Dental Technician Apprentices to successfully complete their qualification, alongside the retirement of Michael Wheeler.
The special occasion provided an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication, hard work and accomplishments of our Level 5 Dental Technician Apprentices, while also sharing this success with employers, industry partners and valued stakeholders who have supported their journey.
The celebration brought together senior representatives from across the dental sector, reflecting the strong industry support surrounding our apprentices and their training. Guests included Professor Craig Barclay, Postgraduate Dental Dean for NHS England (Southwest); Lucy Silk, Associate Dean for the Dental Workforce at NHS England (Southwest); Matt Jerreat, Regional Chief Dental Officer; and Michael Wheeler, National Programme Manager for Dental Apprenticeships.
The event was made even more special as we celebrated the retirement of Michael Wheeler, recognising and thanking him for his invaluable support and dedication to Yeovil College’s dental apprenticeships since our first Level 3 Laboratory Technician Apprentices began their journey in 2022. It was a fitting opportunity to celebrate Mike’s contribution alongside the achievements of our first Level 5 cohort and wish him every happiness in his retirement.
Head of Faculty for Creative Industries at Yeovil College, James Guest, noted:
“We are extremely proud of the first cohort of Level 5 Dental Apprentices at Yeovil College. This event celebrates their outstanding achievement in attaining excellent module results and provides an opportunity to recognise and thank Mike Wheeler for his invaluable support and dedication since the L3 Laboratory Tech apprenticeship welcomed its first cohort in 2022.”
Guests heard speeches from Matt Jerreat, alongside Yeovil College Assessor David Smith and Principal & CEO, Mark Bolton, who each shared their reflections on the apprentices’ achievements and the importance of developing the future dental workforce.
Mark Bolton, Principal & CEO of Yeovil College, commented:
“We are leading the way in digital dental training, with an ambition to be the most technically able College to deliver dental from level 3 to degree-level. We have made a significant investment into state-of-the-art, industry-standard technology and teaching environment, and are building a curriculum offer with experts from the industry, to ensure that future generations of dental practitioners are highly skilled and highly valued by the sector. We have invested in this because we cannot see a single downside. This is an incredible time to be looking at a career within digital dentistry.”
During the course, the Level 5 Dental Technician Apprentices gained valuable specialist knowledge and skills in the areas of Applied Head and Neck Anatomy and Physiology, Applied Dental Materials Science, Dental Appliance Design and Manufacturing, Employment Development, Professional Practice, and Dental Appliance Design and Manufacture Removable Prosthodontics.
The course is designed to produce highly capable technicians who can apply for registration as Dental Technicians with the General Dental Council (GDC) upon successful completion of the programme.
Are you interested in where a career in dental could take you? Join us at our Open Event on 15 October, from 5:00pm to 7:30pm, to learn more about our courses and tour our state-of-the-art learning environments.