Case studies: Equine dental technician: Jessica

Jessica Collard studied for a BSc (Hons) in Equine Dental Science at Hartpury College, Bristol, and now works as an Equine dental technician (EDT) in the South West of England.

I had decided that I wanted to aim for a career in equine dentistry by the time I was applying for university. At the time of my application, Hartpury was the only place in the UK where you were able to study equine dental science to a bachelors degree level. No other courses were tailored to such a specific level.

Being an EDT is very physically and mentally demanding. On top of this you are self-employed, so not only do you have to carry out treatment on the horses, but you have to do all aspects of business management, taking messages, phone calls and making appointments. On a typical day I treat anywhere between 4 and 10 horses with varying dental abnormalities.

I have to drive to the horses and I treat them where they are kept. As I only see the horses every 6-12 months, I have to travel a large area to ensure I am busy on a day to day basis. Some mornings involve travelling two and a half hours before actually treating a horse. While at the yard, I have to liaise with the owners, discuss the treatment options, ensure there is a suitable area to treat the horse whilst ensuring everyone's safety and then debrief them on any work carried out. The owners are then given a dental record for their horse, invoiced and payment is received.

The responsibility that comes with being self employed and running your own business is vast. Your work carries on long after you have finished treating horses and many evenings are spent working. Also, importantly, when I treat the horses, they are all fully awake and aware of what is going on. Most horses put up some form of resistance and I need to ensure that I am fully alert so nobody gets hurt and nothing goes wrong.

Since starting my career in equine dentistry I have had two memorable achievements. The first being graduating with first class honours. The second would be passing the British Equine Veterinary Association / British Veterinary Dental Association dental exam first time around. The exam itself is highly regarded as one of the most difficult exams within the industry. By doing this, I am the only person in the country to have graduated with a first and pass the exam; an achievement I am very proud of.

The best thing about working in the equine industry is that every day is different. I get to meet so many people and travel around, as well as plan my own schedule to suit me. Also, I don't have to sit in an office or stare at a screen; I am outside every day.

To become a qualified EDT you have to put in a large amount of work, and shadow other qualified EDTs to learn the trade. There are fewer than 100 qualified EDTs that are members of the British Association of Equine Dental Technicians (BAEDT), therefore it is very difficult to find somebody to teach you. I travelled all over the country to gain my experience, but without it I wouldn't be where I am today.

The equine industry is exceptionally difficult to break into, my advice would be grab every opportunity with both hands.