Objectives: There is growing acceptance that skills for successful teaching in higher education need to be taught and developed. It is no longer assumed that an expert is necessarily an effective teacher in his/her field of expertise. This is especially so in dental education where excellent clinicians are called upon to teach the competencies of their field to undergraduate students. This paper examines how dental educators might better be prepared for the challenges of teaching in higher education. Methods: A qualitative approach, highlighting contextual understanding and ‘holistic' forms of analysis and explanation, was used to collect and analyse data from a cohort study of first year oral hygiene students and their lecturers. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 3 lecturers and 6 students in order to elicit their experiences of teaching and learning. The opinions of 7 further lecturers and 9 students were elicited through detailed open-ended questionnaires. Results: In analysis, three categories regarding how dental educators might better be prepared for the challenges of teaching in higher education were generated from the interview transcripts and from the questionnaire from both lecturers and students. The first category consisted of simple “tips” for effective communication. The second category related to skills development, and signalled staff development workshops. The third category highlighted the need to develop an identity as “teacher” amongst dental educators, and implies the need for a sustained programme grounded within a theoretical framework of what it means to be a teacher in higher education. Conclusion: The research data indicated that not all dental educators are equipped to effectively facilitate learning of all students. It indicates areas in which intervention might fruitfully be pursued – as hoc workshops and dedicated teaching competency development modules. The paper draws on research findings to propose a way forward with regard to such a module.