Dental Nurse Apprenticeship - Newquay Dental

Location: East Street, Newquay, TR7 1BH
Closing Date: 31 days from now (Saturday, 31 October 2026)
Posted on: 29 September 2026

Summary

We are excited to offer an opportunity for an Apprentice Dental Nurse to join our friendly and supportive dental team. This role is ideal for someone looking to begin a rewarding career in dentistry. No previous experience is required as full training, mentoring, and support will be provided throughout your development.

Wage: £16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age.
Training Course: Dental nurse (level 3)
Hours:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 9.00am - 6.00pm
• Tuesday and Thursday: 8.00am - 7.00pm
• Saturday: 9.00am - 1.00pm
  Duration: 1 year 3 months
  Positions Available: 2

Work

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

What You'll Do at Work

You’ll work closely with qualified dental professionals, gaining hands-on experience across all areas of dental nursing. From day one, you’ll be encouraged to build confidence, develop new skills, and work towards becoming a fully qualified Dental Nurse in a professional and welcoming private practice environment.

This is a patient-facing role where enthusiasm, reliability, and a positive attitude are just as important as technical skills. If you enjoy helping others and want a career where no two days are the same, this could be the perfect starting point (Newquay).

Key Responsibilities:

• Assist dentists and clinicians during a range of dental treatments and procedures
• Ensure patients feel comfortable, informed, and reassured throughout their visit
• Prepare treatment rooms and ensure all equipment and materials are ready for use
• Clean, sterilise, and maintain instruments in line with infection control standards
• Follow health, safety, and confidentiality policies at all times
• Support patients with pre and post treatment guidance
• Accurately update patient records using computer-based systems
• Help manage appointment flow and support the smooth running of the practice
• Assist with basic administrative duties as required

What We’re Looking For:

• Positive, can-do approach and eager to learn
• Genuinely interested in patient care and personal development
• Reliable, punctual, and takes pride in being professional
• Enjoys working as part of a team and supporting others
• Communicates clearly and confidently with both patients and colleagues
• Can stay organised and manage multiple tasks in a busy environment
• Basic IT skills and is comfortable learning new systems

What We Offer:

• Full training and support towards a recognised Dental Nurse qualification
• On-the-job learning alongside experienced dental professionals
• A friendly, supportive, and professional team environment
• A great opportunity to build long-term career progression within dentistry
• Valuable experience in a high-quality private practice setting

Training

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

Training Provider: I & F LIMITED
Training Course: Dental nurse (level 3)
Course Contents:

• Identify relevant and appropriate dental, oral, craniofacial, and general anatomy
• 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
• Identify the signs of abuse, neglect or emotional trauma
• 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
• Record an accurate and contemporaneous 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 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
• 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
• Support the management of patients with acute oral conditions
• Adopt an evidence-based approach to clinical practice
• Communicate effectively and sensitively with all patients, including those whose first language is not English
• Communicate effectively 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
• Maintain contemporaneous, complete and accurate patient records
• Communicate with care, compassion, empathy and respect in all professional interactions
• Give feedback effectively to other members of the team
• Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals
• Demonstrate effective team working
• Contribute to your team in providing dental care for patients
• Manage, refer or delegate work according to the scope of practice of members of the dental team
• 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
• 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
• Lead, manage and take professional responsibility for the actions of colleagues and other members of the team involved in patient care
• Support patients to negotiate the barriers and challenges which prevent sections of the population accessing oral healthcare
• 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
• Demonstrate cultural competence
• Provide the best possible outcome for your patients by using your knowledge and skills
• 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 terms of the changing environment, community and individual behaviours to deliver health gain
• Evaluate and apply the evidence base in relation to the environmental impacts of common treatment methods and approaches to the delivery of oral healthcare
• Contribute positively to the healthcare communities of which you are a part
• Evaluate an evidence base
• Utilise the receipt of effective feedback in the professional development of self
• Demonstrate personal development planning, recording of evidence, and reflective practice
• Evaluate the impact of new techniques and technologies as they relate to dental nurse practice
• Accurately assess your own capabilities and limitations in the interest of high-quality patient care
• Recognise personal assumptions, biases and prejudices and manage the impact of these on patient care and professional behaviour with colleagues, patients and wider society
• Recognise the impact of contextual factors on the health care environment and patient safety and manage this professionally
• Demonstrate own professional responsibility in the development of self
• Develop and maintain professional knowledge and competence
• Demonstrate engagement with systems and personal strategies which promote and maintain physical and mental wellbeing
• Demonstrate appropriate continuous improvement activities
• Recognise when and how to take action if wellbeing is compromised to a point of affecting an individual’s role or professional relationships
• Effectively manage your own time and resources
• Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach