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 practice 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.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
- 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.
- 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, 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 where appropriate 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 in a manner which is accessible, promotes self‑care and motivates patients/carers to comply with advice and take responsibility to maintain and improve oral health.
- 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, tailoring to context, by spoken, written and electronic means with all patients, including those whose first language is not English, using representatives or interpreters where necessary.
- Communicate effectively and sensitively 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 in relation to the direct care of individual patients, oral health promotion and raising concerns when problems arise.
- 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 with patients, their representatives, the public and colleagues.
- Give feedback effectively to other members of the team.
- Respect the roles of dental and other healthcare professionals in the context of learning and working in a dental and wider healthcare team.
- Demonstrate effective team working.
- Contribute to your team in providing dental care for patients.
- Where appropriate 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, national and local clinical governance and health and safety requirements.
- Act within the legal frameworks which inform personal behaviour and the delivery of healthcare.
- 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 which promotes the safety and wellbeing of the patient and dental team.
- Where appropriate 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, including patients from marginalised populations and patients with protected characteristics.
- 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, making their interests your first concern.
- Demonstrate cultural competence and accept and respect the diversity of patients and colleagues.
- Provide the best possible outcome for your patients by using your knowledge and skills, acting as an advocate for their needs where appropriate.
- Speak up to protect others from harm.
- Proactively address discriminatory language, behaviour and microaggressions from colleagues, patients and other professionals.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of evidence‑based prevention at a community and/or population level.
- 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.
- 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.
- Recognise personal assumptions, biases and prejudices and manage the impact of these on patient care and professional behaviour with colleagues, patients and wider society.
- Effectively manage your own time and resources.
- Underpin all patient care with a preventive approach that takes account of patient compliance and self‑care to contribute to the patient’s long‑term oral and general health.
Other Qualifications
- Maths (grade 4)
- English (grade 4)
Key Skills
- Administrative Skills
- Analytical Skills
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Care Skills
- Initiative
- IT Skills
- Logical Thinking
- Non‑judgemental Attitude
- Number Skills
- Organisational Skills
- Patience
- Physical Fitness
- Presentation Skills
- Problem Solving Skills
- Teamworking
- Communication Skills
Salary: £15,704 to £25,396.80, depending on your age.
Hours: Monday to Saturday working five days a week. Shift times and days to be confirmed. 40 hours a week.
Start date: Monday 2 March 2026. Duration: 1 year 6 months.
