Apprentice Dental Nurse

As an Apprentice Dental Nurse, you’ll support clinicians to deliver a range of high-quality dental treatments and help the smooth running of your surgery and the practice. You will enjoy being part of a team that’s passionate about caring for patients and helping the nation smile. Alongside your role you will achieve a Level 3 in Dental Nursing.

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

Requirements

• Support clinicians to deliver high-quality dental treatments.
• Contribute to the smooth running of the surgery and practice.
• Achieve a Level 3 in Dental Nursing.
• Identify relevant dental anatomy.
• Evaluate health risks of drug use on oral health.
• Evaluate scientific principles of dental materials.
• Identify signs of abuse and neglect in children and adults.
• Identify signs of normal and abnormal facial growth and development.
• Assess patients’ levels of anxiety and expectations.
• Contribute to investigations and diagnostic procedures.
• Undertake orthodontic assessment.
• Obtain valid consent from patients.
• Record accurate patient history.
• Accurately record dental charting.
• Accurately record an oral health assessment.
• Prepare records, images, equipment and materials for clinical assessment.
• Process and manage dental radiographs and images.
• Manage patient anxiety effectively and safely.
• Monitor, support and reassure patients.
• Identify changes in oral health status and take appropriate action.
• Make arrangements for follow-up care.
• Provide chairside support during treatment.
• Prepare, mix and handle dental materials.
• Identify and explain clinical environment risks and manage them safely.
• Implement effective decontamination and infection control procedures.
• Prepare and maintain the clinical environment, instruments and equipment.
• Identify, assess, and manage medical emergencies.
• Provide patients/carers with preventive advice.
• Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions.
• Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice.
• Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, including those with language barriers or challenging behavior.
• Communicate effectively with the public.
• Communicate effectively with colleagues from dental and other healthcare professions.
• Maintain contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records.
• Communicate with care, compassion, empathy and respect.
• Communicate appropriately in professional discussions.
• Give feedback effectively to other team members.
• Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals.
• Demonstrate effective team working.
• Contribute to team efforts in providing dental care.
• Manage, refer, or delegate work according to scope of practice.
• Take a patient-centred approach.
• Raise concerns about health, behavior, or professional performance.
• Comply with systems and processes for safe patient care.
• Act in accordance with current best practice guidelines.
• Act in accordance with clinical governance and health and safety requirements.
• Act within legal frameworks informing personal behavior and healthcare delivery.
• Act with integrity to maintain trust.
• Demonstrate personal accountability.
• Work in partnership to promote patient and team safety and wellbeing.
• Lead, manage, and take responsibility for actions of colleagues where appropriate.
• Support patients to negotiate barriers to accessing oral healthcare.
• Treat patients, the public, and colleagues with dignity and respect.
• Support patients in making informed decisions about their care.
• Demonstrate cultural competence.
• Provide the best possible outcome for patients by using knowledge and skills.
• Speak up to protect others from harm.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based prevention.
• Address discriminatory language and behavior.
• Evaluate the role of health promotion.
• Evaluate and apply evidence base related to environmental impacts of treatment methods.
• Contribute positively to healthcare communities.
• Evaluate an evidence base.
• Utilize feedback for professional development.
• Demonstrate personal development planning and reflective practice.
• Evaluate the impact of new techniques and technologies.
• Assess own capabilities and limitations.
• Recognize and manage personal assumptions, biases, and prejudices.
• Recognize and manage the impact of contextual factors on patient safety.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility in self-development.
• Develop and maintain professional knowledge and competence.
• Demonstrate engagement with systems promoting physical and mental wellbeing.
• Demonstrate appropriate continuous improvement activities.
• Recognize when and how to take action if wellbeing is compromised.
• Effectively manage own time and resources.
• Underpin patient care with a preventive approach.