Dental Nurse Apprenticeship

We are a friendly and supportive private dental practice looking for enthusiastic individuals to start their career in private dentistry and earn as they learn. We utilize the latest technology and have a wealth of experience within our team.

Requirements

• GCSEs in Maths and English (grade 4 or above)
• Good communication skills
• Customer service awareness
• Ability to work professionally and efficiently under pressure
• Understanding of patient needs and anxieties
• Share any other relevant qualifications and industry experience, as the apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect existing knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Develop competence in a wide range of dental chairside support procedures.
• Develop competence in the manipulation and application of dental materials.
• Develop a comprehensive knowledge of dental instruments and equipment.
• Learn to prepare individual treatment rooms.
• Develop and demonstrate competence in decontamination and sterilisation of medical and dental devices, ensuring appropriate records are completed.
• Be responsible as part of the clinical team for patient care from arrival to completion of treatment.
• Under supervision, carry out reception duties, including answering the telephone, receiving mail, meeting and greeting patients/carers, managing diaries and day books, sending appointments by email, maintaining recall systems, and upkeep of patient records on computer software.
• Learn to write up clinical notes accurately.
• Participate in audit procedures under the direction of clinicians or the practice manager.
• Learn to identify relevant dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy, and recognise variations within the patient population.
• Evaluate the health risks of drug use and misuse on oral and general health.
• Evaluate the scientific principles underpinning dental materials and biomaterials.
• Identify signs of abuse, neglect, or emotional trauma and explain safeguarding systems for children and adults.
• Identify signs of normal and abnormal facial growth and development milestones.
• Assess patients’ levels of anxiety, experience, and expectations regarding dental care.
• Contribute to relevant special investigations and diagnostic procedures.
• Undertake orthodontic assessment.
• Obtain valid consent from patients, explaining all relevant factors and legal requirements.
• Record accurate and contemporaneous patient histories.
• Accurately record dental charting and oral health assessments.
• Prepare records, images, equipment, and materials for clinical assessment.
• Process and manage dental radiographs and images.
• Manage patient anxiety effectively and safely using communication and behavioural techniques.
• Monitor, support, and reassure patients.
• Identify changes in patients’ reported oral health status and take appropriate action.
• Make arrangements for follow-up care as prescribed.
• Provide chairside support to the operator during treatment.
• Prepare, mix, and handle dental materials.
• Identify and explain risks within the clinical environment and manage them safely.
• Implement and manage 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 personalised preventive advice and instruction, promoting self-care.
• Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions.
• Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice.
• Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, representatives, the public, and colleagues, adapting communication to context, including for those whose first language is not English, or for patients experiencing anxiety or special considerations.
• Maintain contemporaneous, complete, and accurate patient records.
• Communicate with care, compassion, empathy, and respect in all professional interactions.
• Give feedback effectively to team members.
• Respect the roles of other professionals within the dental and wider healthcare team.
• Demonstrate effective team working and contribute to patient care.
• Manage, refer, or delegate work according to scope of practice and competence.
• Take a patient-centred approach to working within the team.
• Raise concerns about own or others' health, behaviour, or professional performance.
• Comply with systems and processes supporting safe patient care and act in accordance with current best practice guidelines, clinical governance, health and safety, and legal frameworks.
• Act with integrity, maintaining trust in yourself, your team, and the profession.
• Demonstrate personal accountability.
• Work in partnership to develop and maintain a supportive environment for patient and team wellbeing.
• Where appropriate, lead, manage, and take professional responsibility for actions of colleagues involved in patient care.
• Support patients to negotiate barriers to accessing oral healthcare, including marginalised populations.
• Treat patients, the public, and colleagues with dignity and respect, without discrimination.
• Support patients to make informed decisions about their care, prioritising their interests.
• Demonstrate cultural competence and respect for diversity.
• Provide the best possible outcome for patients by using knowledge and skills and acting as an advocate.
• 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, behaviour, and microaggressions.
• Evaluate the role of health promotion in relation to environmental changes, community, and individual behaviours.
• Evaluate and apply evidence regarding environmental impacts of treatment methods.
• Contribute positively to healthcare communities.
• Evaluate an evidence base.
• Utilise feedback for professional development and demonstrate personal development planning, recording of evidence, and reflective practice.
• Evaluate the impact of new techniques and technologies in dental nursing.
• Accurately assess own capabilities and limitations and seek advice where appropriate.
• Recognise and manage personal assumptions, biases, and prejudices.
• Recognise the impact of contextual factors on healthcare environments and patient safety.
• Demonstrate professional responsibility in self-development.
• Develop and maintain professional knowledge and competence.
• Demonstrate engagement with strategies promoting physical and mental wellbeing.
• Demonstrate appropriate continuous improvement activities.
• Recognise when and how to take action if wellbeing is compromised.
• Effectively manage own time and resources.
• Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach, considering patient compliance and self-care for long-term oral and general health.