Apprentice Dental Nurse

Site St Paul's Dental Centre Town Cheltenham Salary £15,600 Apprenticeship Salary for 12 months then NMW Salary period Yearly Closing 07/09/2026 23:59

We love what we do and we think you will, too!

At Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC), we provide joined-up mental health, physical health and learning disability services to people of all ages across Gloucestershire. We run community hospitals and provide care and support in people’s own homes and in a range of other locations across the county .

We are on a mission to enable people to live the best life they can and we have a vision to work together to provide outstanding care . We put people at the heart of our services, focusing on personalised care by asking ‘what matters to you ’.

We’re passionate about making sure that everyone can contribute to achieving our mission and w e are continually working to support healthy and happy high-quality team s in all areas of the Trust .

This role is offered on an Apprenticeship basis for 19 months.

The Level 3 Dental Nurse apprenticeship at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable clinical experience and training in community dental settings and achieve a Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing alongside the Level 3 Dental Nurse Apprenticeship Standard, recognised by the General Dental Council (GDC).

An apprenticeship is suitable for anyone who has an interest in pursuing a career within healthcare as well as gaining a Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing.

Alongside this full-time Dental Nurse role, you will be enrolled onto the Dental Nurse Apprenticeship Programme and will be expected to study and complete assignments to achieve a recognised Level 3 Dental Nurse qualification. The apprenticeship will include the expectation to complete the Level 3 Dental Nurse Apprenticeship within a 19 month timeframe which includes an end point assessment.

This post is open to candidates who are looking to start their career in a dental and healthcare environment with no previous experience or alternatively the more experienced healthcare worker looking for a change to further their clinical knowledge and skills.

Dental Nurses play a vital role with assisting in all clinical aspects within the surgery. Working under the direction of a Dental Officer they take care of the needs of patients by providing a high level of care.

The role of a Dental Nurse can be a physical one and successful apprentices will be expected to have an understanding of all patients’ needs. An apprentice can be exposed to distressing or emotional circumstances in relation to patients who may be in severe pain and anxious of dental treatment.

Dental Nurses are expected to be friendly, caring and sensitive with the confidence to communicate with patients and healthcare professional colleagues.

The key result areas for the role are that the apprentice will be required to:

• Assist Dental Officers in the provision of clinical dentistry within the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
• To support the Senior Nurse in the day to day running of clinics as required
• To provide a high standard of care to service users
• To maintain personal and professional development
• To ensure trust policies and protocols are adhered to
• Monitor and report the necessary for repairs/service/maintenance of equipment
• Participate in clinical audits

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people’s homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

• 72% of…