Where you'll work

47 HARDHORN ROAD
POULTON LE FYLDE
FY6 7SR

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

TRAINING 2000 LIMITED

Training course

Dental nurse (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

• Identify relevant and appropriate dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy, recognising the diversity of anatomy across the patient population.
• Evaluate the health risks of prescribed, non-prescribed, and recreational drug use and misuse on oral and general health.
• Evaluate the scientific principles underpinning the use of materials and Biomaterials, their limitations and selection, with emphasis on those used in dentistry.
• Identify the signs of abuse, neglect, or emotional trauma, explain local and national systems that safeguard the welfare of children and adults.
• Identify the signs of normal and abnormal facial growth, physical, mental, and dental development milestones and explain their significance.
• Assess patients’ levels of anxiety, experience, and expectations in respect of dental care and oral health.
• Contribute to relevant special investigations and diagnostic procedures.
• Undertake orthodontic assessment.
• Obtain valid consent from patients explaining all the relevant factors and taking into account the legal requirements where appropriate within scope of practice.
• Record an accurate and contemporaneous patient history.
• Accurately record dental charting as carried out by other appropriate registrants.
• 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 appropriately, effectively, and safely.
• Monitor, support, and reassure patients through effective communication and behavioural techniques.
• Identify changes in the patient’s reported oral health status and take appropriate action.
• Make arrangements for follow-up care as prescribed by the operator.
• Provide chairside support to the operator during treatment.
• Prepare, mix, and handle dental materials.
• Identify and explain the risks within and around the clinical environment and manage these in a safe and effective manner.
• Implement, perform, and manage effective decontamination and infection control procedures according to current guidelines.
• Prepare and maintain the clinical environment including the instruments and equipment.
• Identify, assess, and manage medical emergencies.
• Provide patients/carers with comprehensive, personalised preventive advice, instruction, and intervention in a manner which is accessible, promotes self-care and motivates patients/carers to comply with advice and take responsibility to maintain and improve oral health.
• Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions ensuring involvement of appropriate dental team members.
• Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice.
• Communicate effectively and sensitively, tailoring to context, by spoken, written, and/or electronic means with all patients, including patients whose first language is not English, using representatives or interpreters where necessary, in relation to patients with anxious or challenging behaviour or special considerations such as emotional trauma and difficult circumstances, such as breaking bad news, or discussing issues such as alcohol consumption, smoking, or diet.
• Communicate effectively and sensitively by spoken, written, and electronic means with the public.
• Communicate effectively by spoken, written, and electronic means with colleagues from dental and other healthcare professions in relation to the direct care of individual patients, oral health promotion, and raising concerns when problems arise, including where patients cause distress to staff.
• Maintain contemporaneous, complete, and accurate patient records in accordance with legal requirements and best practice.
• Communicate with care, compassion, empathy, and respect in all professional interactions with patients, their representatives, the public, and colleagues.
• Communicate appropriately and effectively in professional discussions and transactions.
• Give feedback effectively to other members of the team.
• Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals in the context of learning and working in a dental and wider healthcare team.
• Demonstrate effective team working.
• Contribute to your team in providing dental care for patients.
• Where appropriate manage, refer, or delegate work according to the scope of practice of members of the dental team, in line with competence and professional practice.
• Take a patient-centred approach to working with the dental and wider healthcare team.
• Raise concerns where appropriate about your own or others’ health, behaviour, or professional performance.
• Comply with systems and processes to support safe patient care.
• Act in accordance with current best practice guidelines.
• Act in accordance with national and local clinical governance and health and safety requirements.
• Act within the legal frameworks which inform personal behaviour, the delivery of healthcare, and the protection and promotion of the health of individual patients.
• Act with integrity and ensure your actions maintain the trust of colleagues, patients, and the public in you, your team, and the profession across all environments and media.
• Demonstrate personal accountability to patients, the regulator, the team, and wider community.
• Work in partnership with colleagues to develop and maintain an effective and supportive environment which promotes the safety and wellbeing of the patient and dental team.
• Where appropriate lead, manage, and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care.
• Where appropriate support patients to negotiate the barriers and challenges which prevent sections of the population accessing oral healthcare, including patients from marginalised populations and patients with protected characteristics.
• Treat your patients, members of the public, and your colleagues with dignity and respect and without discrimination.
• Support patients to make informed decisions about their care, making their interests your first concern.
• Demonstrate cultural competence, accepting and respecting the diversity of patients and colleagues.
• Provide the best possible outcome for your patients by using your knowledge and skills, acting as an advocate for their needs where appropriate.
• Speak up to protect others from harm.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence-based prevention at a community and/or population level.
• Proactively address discriminatory language