The role of a Dental Nurse
The dental nurse works within the dental team to provide oral health care for a patient.
As a dental nurse, you will come into close contact with patients of all ages who may be anxious and in need of support and reassurance. Good communication skills and a friendly and compassionate manner are essential.
You are expected to assist the dentist in all aspects of patient care. This will include sterilising and preparing instruments, preparing and mixing materials, looking after the comfort of the patient, assisting the dentist with various procedures such as fillings, minor oral surgery and extractions.
Dental Nursing is a statutory registered profession. The regulatory body for the dental profession is the General Dental Council
Upon completion of your studies you will have to apply to the General Dental Council to be entered on the register.
Employment as an Apprentice Dental Nurse at Leeds Dental Institute
We regularly recruit groups of apprentice dental nurses.
Vacancies are advertised approx. every six months through the NHS Jobs website,
Apprentice Dental Nurses are employed by the Leeds Dental Institute to support our 4 Outreach Clinics in Beeston, Chapel Allerton, Bradford and Hull and in various departments of the Dental Institute on a rota basis.
Benefits of working at Leeds Dental Institute (Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust)
During your apprenticeship you will be employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) which offers you a wide range of benefits.
- Salary £22,383 p.a.
- All training completely free
- Generous holiday entitlement – 27 days holiday + bank holidays for staff new to the NHS (holidays are fixed during your training)
- The NHS pension scheme
- Chaplaincy Service with prayer and quiet room facilities available across all sites
- Staff referrals to Physiotherapy
- Staff referrals to Occupational Health
- Cycle to work scheme options
- Support from Psychology teams including access to counselling services via Vivup
- A range of discounts and cash back opportunities from retail outlets, supermarkets and holiday companies
You will be working, in the main, with Undergraduate Dental Students but will come into contact with the whole dental team including Dentists, Dental Hygiene/Therapists, Dental Technicians and Dental Nurses.
Dental Nurse Apprenticeship Training
You will be provided with off the job training delivered by the School of Dental Care Professionals (SODCP) to complete your apprenticeship training requirements. You will be allocated to one of our Trainer/Assessors who will teach, assess and support you throughout your Apprenticeship.
SODCP use City and Guilds as our awarding organisation.
This integrated qualification is the Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dental Nursing.
Information regarding this qualification can be found on the Institute for Apprenticeships website.
The apprenticeship consists of the following components:
Level 3 Extended Diploma in Dental Nursing (awarded by City and Guilds) comprising of 11 mandatory units and End point Assessment.
The course is an 18 month apprenticeship training programme and provides a structure of study, training and clinical teaching to deliver the knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the Dental Nursing occupational standards and the requirements of the award.
During your off the job training you will spend time gaining the underpinning knowledge covering the following topics:
- Preparing for professional practice in dental nursing
- Control of periodontal disease and caries, and the restoration of cavities
- Health and safety legislation on working practices in the dental surgery
- Stages of prosthetic treatment
- Prevention and control of infection in the dental setting
- Stages of endodontic procedures
- Dental and regional anatomy, oral health assessment and treatment planning
- Extractions and minor oral surgery
- Recognising and supporting actions during first aid and medical emergencies
- Scientific and practical information to support the patient’s oral and physical health
- The safe use of ionising radiation to produce quality radiographic images
To gain your full qualification you must complete a portfolio of evidence and complete an independent end point assessment consisting of a knowledge Test, an observation of practice and an interview underpinned by a portfolio.
Entry requirements
Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and have a minimum of 4 GCSEs (grade C or above) or equivalent with English Language and Maths being essential and a Science subject being desirable.
Future opportunities
Throughout your apprenticeship you will be given information, advice and guidance about your future opportunities. This may include attending work experience, shadowing and meeting with managers to either discuss career opportunities in the Trust, external employment or future education.
You will be eligible to apply for any vacancies for Dental Nursing within the Dental Institute.
Dental nurses can work within dental hospitals, in community clinics, in the Armed Forces, in the NHS and in private general dental practices. Once qualified, you may choose to undertake post qualification courses which cover different specialists within dental nursing such as Oral Health Education, Sedation, Orthodontics and Special Care.
Please visit Apprenticeship Standards in Dental Occupations Skills for Health for more information.
What our learners say..
I would definitely recommend Leeds dental institute as the whole experience has been absolutely amazing and interesting, the tutors are very helpful and kind. I feel as though I am well kept and the knowledge I’ve learnt in this course has been very useful.
What employers say..
The dental nursing school staff are helpful and approachable when dealing with any issues. They are supportive to me as a department manager and to the needs of the team.
How to apply
We regularly recruit groups of apprentice dental nurses.
Vacancies are advertised approximately every six months through NHS jobs. Two apprentice dental nurses observing a dental care professional using Trust Clinical software.