Dental Nurse

Job Summary

Full‑time, Band 4 Dental Nurse position at Salisbury Central Health Clinic (Avon Approach, SP1 3SL
). The candidate must be a qualified registered Dental Nurse with valid GDC registration, excellent clinical, communication, organisational and interpersonal skills, be able to drive, have access to a vehicle, and be willing to travel within Wiltshire and Swindon, including weekends and bank holidays. The role operates 08:30 – 17:00, with an hour for lunch, five days per week, and requires flexibility for special care and urgent care clinics.

• Comply with GDC standards and Scope of Practice.
• Comply with GWH Trust Policies & CDS Local Operating Procedures.
• Maintain clinical and professional development in dental nursing and participate in annual appraisal.
• Support effective communication and professional relationships with patients, relatives, colleagues and other health professionals.
• Provide and receive complex and sensitive patient‑related medical information, addressing communication barriers hence, contact Language Line for non‑English speaking patients and carers.
• Provide pre‑ and post‑operative advice on dental care to patients.
• Take responsibility for Health & Safety and Fire inspection checklist; assist in development and review of health & safety risk assessments.
• Prepare the dental surgery and clinical chair side activity for dental treatment.
• Input patient‑related information to SFD IT system as directed by the Dentist.
• Receive patients into the treatment room and assist the dentist during all clinical procedures.
• Maintain decontamination and infection control in line with CDS Infection Control LOP and protocol for decontamination of equipment.
• Maintain and request appropriate stock levels, ensuring that stock / emergency drugs are within expiry date and stored appropriately.
• Check invoices for incoming stock and materials.
• Act as chaperone and witness for the dentist.
• Provide dental nurse cover for clinics, sometimes at short notice.
• Take part in regular audits as appropriate.
• Undertake other duties commensurate with the grade as directed by the Dental Nurse Team Manager and maintain necessary skills through suitable training.
• Carry out duties away from base clinic including domiciliary visits, dental epidemiology surveys, day surgery under general anaesthetic in acute hospital settings, conscious sedation sessions and dental health education programmes.
• Work alongside the dentist using manual handling aids, including a hoist, and keep up to date with manual handling training.
• Ensure compliance with GWH Trust arrangements for mandatory training.
• Take responsibility for enhanced continuing professional development (CPD) to meet GDC registration requirements of 50 hours verifiable in a 5‑year cycle.
• Ensure annual registration with the GDC.

• Occasional exposure to unpleasant conditions, working in confined spaces in patient homes including verbal aggression.
• Frequent contact with body fluids, blood and saliva.

• Involves walking, standing, sitting, carrying, pushing and pulling of trolleys, alongside Safety and Standard Operating Work.
• Requirement to operate dental equipment for domiciliary, radiography, sedation, epidemiology and dental clinics.

• Frequent requirement for intense concentration.

• Exposure to emotional or distressing circumstances including medical emergency.
• Caring for distressed and anxious patients who can be unwell.

• Required to travel to other clinics to maintain operational service cover and hold business insurance for driving during working hours.
• Requirement to work weekends and Bank Holidays.
• Ability to drive and access to a motor vehicle with business insurance.
• Dealing with distressed patients/clients regularly.
• Regular VDU usage.
• Requirement to move small equipment between sites as required.

• Registration as Dental Care Practitioner with the General Dental Council.
• NEBDN National Certificate, NVQ level 3 in Oral Health (Dental Nursing) (or exceptionally similar qualification plus appropriate experience).
• Willingness to study towards…