Apprentice Dental Nurse

The apprenticeship in dental nursing is an 18‑month government‑funded course by City & Guilds, a Level 3 Extended Diploma. Alongside your learning your job role within the practise will entail assisting dentists, sterilising & preparing equipment, reception duties and supporting patient experience. This role will provide efficient and reliable chairside support to clinicians while ensuring high standards of patient care, confidentiality, and GDPR compliance.

• Welcoming patients and assisting with appointment scheduling
• Handling basic patient enquiries professionally and appropriately
• Preparing surgeries, sterilising instruments, and maintaining infection control to CQC standards
• Assisting clinicians during treatments and accurately updating patient records in line with GDPR
• Supporting patients' comfort, reassurance, and overall dental experience
• Monitoring and managing stock, equipment, and surgery readiness
• Maintaining clean, safe, and fully equipped clinical areas
• Upholding patient privacy, dignity, and confidentiality at all times
• Collaborating with dentists and the wider team to deliver safe, efficient, and high‑quality care
• 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 and 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 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, promoting self‑care and motivating compliance
• 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 with all patients, including those whose first language is not English, using representatives or interpreters where necessary
• Communicate with the public, colleagues and other healthcare professions in relation to direct patient care and oral health promotion
• 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
• Give feedback effectively to other members of the team
• Respe…