Whether your goal is to work at an enhanced skills level within the NHS, gain independent recognition of your expertise, or simply provide a higher standard of care for your patients, the training delivered by simplyendo will support the clinical grounding that you need, whichever direction you choose.

Note: DwES / Level 2 accreditation relates specifically to working within NHS commissioned referral pathways. The RCSEd Diploma is not NHS specific, it offers independent, external validation of your skill level that is equally relevant to building a private referral practice. The training from simplyendo itself gives you the clinical grounding to build a successful private referral practice, whether or not you go on to pursue this or other formal accreditations.

Here is a clear overview of the main pathways our graduates can pursue.

What is it?

The Dentist with Enhanced Skills (DwES), which has replaced the former Dentist with Special Interest (DwSI) designation, is an NHS recognised status for dentists who provide Level 2 (Tier 2) intermediate endodontic care in primary care settings. This tier sits between standard general dental practice (Level 1) and hospital or specialist services (Level 3).

You may see this referred to by several names, all of which describe the same accreditation pathway:

• Dentist with Enhanced Skills (DwES), the current term
• Dentist with Special Interest (DwSI), the former term, now superseded by DwES
• Level 2 / Tier 2 Endodontics
• Intermediate tier endodontic care

What does it allow you to do?

Once accredited, you can:

• Work within an NHS managed clinical network under ICB commissioning, accepting formal referrals from fellow GDPs
• Access enhanced NHS remuneration for complex endodontic treatment
• Build a referral based practice within primary care

How does the simplyendo training prepare you?

Our curriculum closely aligns with the requirements for DwES / Level 2 accreditation. PG Diploma Year 2 content is similar to the curriculum requirements.

A number of our graduates and current delegates have already been successfully accredited in various NHS regions across the UK.

You can begin the application process whether you have already completed the simplyendo programme or are still partway through it.

Note: DwES / Level 2 accreditation is regionally commissioned by NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England and Local Health Boards in Wales. Requirements and availability may vary by region, and the application form and guidance linked above are provided as an example only. We recommend checking with your local ICB or health board for current commissioning intentions and their current version of the application documents.

Pathway 2: The College of General Dentistry / CGDent Certified Practitioner in Endodontics 

What is it? 

The College of General Dentistry (CGDent) has launched a new Certified Practitioner in Endodontics accreditation, the first in a planned series of credentialing schemes that will also cover areas such as implant dentistry and oral surgery. It is separate from NHS Level 2 / Tier 2 accreditation, and is open to all dentists, whether working in the NHS or in private practice. 

The accreditation is designed to validate a dentist’s knowledge and skill in Endodontics through an evidence based credentialing process, rather than a qualification alone. Successful applicants are added to a public Register of Certified Practitioners, visible to both patients and colleagues. 

The College of General Dentistry has as one of its core principles a desire to “promote lifelong professional advancement, underpinned by a commitment to continuous quality improvement to ensure, as standard, world-class, state-of-the-art patient care”. It goes without saying that all of us within the profession would wish to support such sentiments. The College also recognise that “getting a qualification” on its own does not necessarily demonstrate your capability, and they are keen, through a credentialing scheme, to open up opportunities for a Certified Practitioner accreditation to confirm your knowledge and skill set. 

The new CGDent scheme is universally accessible, and would be an excellent acknowledgement of your commitment to providing the highest level of patient care through continuous professional development. The accreditation process validates your knowledge and skills, focusing on specific key areas of practice, demonstratingyour experience supported by evidence based knowledge. As with NHS Tier 2 accreditation, there is an application process. 

What does it allow you to do? 

Once accredited, you can: 

• Be listed on CGDent’s public Register of Certified Practitioners
• Demonstrate independently validated knowledge and skill to patients and referring colleagues, in either NHS or private practice
• Support a referral based practice through public recognition of your endodontic capability 

How does the simplyendo training prepare you? 

Eligibility is based on a level of postgraduate training (PG Diploma level, or 120 CAT points equivalence) or equivalent endodontic experience and knowledge gathered in clinical practice, together with a portfolio of endodontic cases similar to that required for DwES / Level 2 accreditation. Our PG Diploma sits at this level. CGDent will be able to advise you on exactly what is required. 

A significant new development, launched in 2025

The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd) Faculty of Dental Surgery launched a new Diploma in Endodontics in 2025, developed to support dentists working at the Level 2 (Tier 2) standard set out in NHS England’s commissioning framework.

The RCSEd Diploma provides external, independent validation of a GDP’s skills in Endodontics against standards set by RCSEd. It can also be used as documented evidence for practitioners intending to be accredited as Tier 2 / Level 2 providers of care as described by NHS England.

The Diploma is not intended to replace full specialty training pathways, and holders will not be able to use the title “Specialist,” but it carries significant professional weight as independent, quality assured recognition from one of the world’s most respected surgical awarding bodies.

How does the simplyendo training relate to this?

The academic and clinical knowledge developed throughout our postgraduate programmes provide good preparation for the RCSEd Diploma examination, which assesses applied clinical knowledge and reasoning at Level 2 standard, aligned with the level at which our programme trains you.

Holding both postgraduate endodontic training and an RCSEd Diploma is likely to strengthen a DwES accreditation application, since it combines postgraduate clinically focussed training with an independently assessed diploma.

Should you have any further questions, please contact a member of the simplyendo® team on 07961 099132 / info@simplyendo.com.