Roles and Responsibilities of a registered Dental Nurse in the UK

Dental Nurse Career Opportunity in the UK

A dental Nurse profession is a great opportunity to earn a living and progress your profession in dentistry in the UK. Although your main work will be centred on dental oral health, your dental workdays will be very powerful as every dental patient require dental procedures and consultation on their level.

As a registered dental nurse, you’ll be bound to provide superior service to your team and external dental care experts if possible. With the main job to assist your dental team with dental operations and procedures, you’ll be equally supporting the dental team in dental patient care management.

It’s very noticeable that a dental patient assumes a dental practice a source of anxiety, you as a registered dental nurse must provide warm support and care to them. They should feel relaxed while they are in dental clinics for dental clarifications. You should be able to work under pressures which is one of the attributes of a successful dental nurse.

The career reach in the UK as a registered dental nurse is superbright, your working station could be in any private or public healthcare facilities across the UK. As a registered dental nurse, you’ll be working mainly in registered dental practice, hospitals or even in the British Army.

Your career growth will not stop there! Once qualified, you’ll gain the access to the doors of never-ending career opportunity to develop a career in other dentistry roles. Through dental progression course and training, you’ll climb the ladder in the dental career line to reach the highest-earning dental professional roles like dental practice manager, dental hygienist/therapist, orthodontic therapist, and many more. With the correct mindset, sharp career guidance and super high ambition, you will discover plenty of room for your dental career growth.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Registered Dental Nurse in the UK

No matter where you work as a registered dental nurse, you’ll be confident in work as lots of aspects are similar in dental practice. Every workplace will require a common responsibility if you are working as a dental nurse.

As a registered dental nurse, you should be able to handle the following core roles and responsibilities:

• Preparing dental fillings and other surgery materials
• Assisting the dentist and other dental staffs
• Comforting the dental patients (kids, adults, elders) and calming them
• Sterilising instruments
• Processing and filing x-rays
• Tidying and cleaning the dental surgery
• Recording and filing information about patients
• Advising patients on oral hygiene
• Carrying out stock control

Interested in learning how this life-changing career transition is possible will work out and how you can become a qualified dental nurse in the UK? Discover the solutions and have an in-depth analysis if you are eligible and suitable to handle these day-to-day roles?

Getting Qualified – Route to registered dental nurse

To become a registered dental nurse and work as a qualified dental professional in the UK, you’ll need to achieve an entry-level GDC recognised diploma or course. GDC stands for the General Dental Council and they are the independent organisation in the UK that regulates the health, medical and dentistry sectors and their services/courses to ensure the quality is provided. You will only be eligible to work as a GDC registered dental nurse in the UK if your qualification is one of them from the list below:

• National Diploma in Dental Nursing – National Board of Dental Nurses (NEBDN)
• Certificate of Higher Education in Advanced Dental Nursing – Bangor University
• Certificate of Higher Education in Dental Nursing – Cardiff University
• City & Guilds Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing (QCF) – City & Guilds
• NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in the Principles and Practice of Dental Nursing – NCFE CACHE
• SVQ Oral Healthcare: Dental Nursing Level 3 and the PDA in Dental Nursing – Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
• SVQ in Dental Nursing at SCQF Level 7 – Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
• Certificate of Higher Education in Dental Nursing – Teeside University
• Foundation Degree in Dental Nursing – University of Northampton
• Certificate of Higher Education in Dental Nursing – University of Portsmouth

Note: There have been numerous cases where applicants with dental assistant/dental nursing assistant level 3 qualification are attempting a career start as a GDC registered dental nurse but these qualifications are not eligible to work as a GDC registered dental nurse in the UK. Visit GDC’s website for qualification evaluation.

Another impressive ability of this career line for beginners is you can even work in dental practice without the GDC approved qualifications. You can work as a trainee dental nurse in any dental practice in the UK without the GDC approved dental nursing course and no dental skills however, your working roles and the earning rates will be limited as there won’t be much room to grow and develop the career without the proper training and GDC recognized qualifications. So, to unlock the full potential of a dental nurse career as a trainee dental nurse, you’ll be required to enrol on the GDC recognised diplomas.

These GDC approved diploma or courses are available across the UK on:

• Registered Local Colleges
• Registered Online Learning Providers
• Universities

Talking about the requirements, entry prerequisites will differ depending on your diploma or course provider and the style of course you choose. Normally the local colleges and online learning providers will ask for GCSEs in English Language, math and preferably a science too with good grades.

If you’re confused about which diploma to enrol in? The answer is NEBDN Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing awarded by the NEBDN.

WHY NEBDN Diploma in Dental Nursing?

The NEBDN is reputed and probably the most favourite among the course awarding bodies that provide the GDC approved dental nursing diploma in the UK. The main reason for NEBDN’s diploma becoming the first preference for dental nursing students is because the course obeys the GDC preparation for practice document guidelines.

This orders the course and training to a high standard in the UK.

NEBDN’s Post-Registration (Progression courses after NEBDN Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing) for Dental Nurses:

• Oral Health Education – Level 4
• Dental Radiography – Level 4
• Dental Nursing Implant – Level 4
• Dental Nursing Sedation – Level 4
• Orthodontic Dental Nursing – Level 4
• Special Care Dental Nursing – Level 4
• Fluoride Varnish Application – Level 4

Progression career roles:

• Dental Therapist
• Dental Hygienist
• Course Provider
• Fluoride Varnish Applicator
• Senior Special Care Nurse
• Dental Technician
• Oral-Health Coordinator
• Sedation Treatment Coordinator
• IR(Me)R Officer
• Domiciliary Special Care Dental Nurse
• Senor Orthodontic Nurse
• Sedation Specialist

WHY choose Forward Academic Team for a Dental Nursing Diploma?

Forward Academic Team is registered and recognised NEBDN’s course provider in the UK providing excellent quality dental nursing education since the establishment. Including a head office and central college located in the prime region of London, the team has extended to offer broad ranges of dental qualifications from entry diploma Level 3 to post-registration level 4 everywhere in the UK. In recent time, the institute is successfully managing in-person sessions in multiple cities in England as well as providing practical online courses across the UK with rapid placement support.

More than 500 professionals have already started their journey as a dental nurse in the UK with NEBDN Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing at Forward. The institute certainly has evolved to become the favourite choice for the learners because of the success stories of the enrolled students and before/after course support. Forward’s genuine support in finding the placement for the learners is helping them in the smooth start of the career.

• Genuine placement support in nearby dental practice
• Easy enrolment process
• Affordable fees and flexible fee system
• Exam revision session to improve your exam performance
• ROE class support
• Mock exams
• Online learning system
• Multiple centres
• UK wide online course availability & placement support

Requirements to join this course at Forward Academic Team

Talking about the requirements, no prior qualification is needed to join this course at Forward. The interested learner must be able to work in the dental practice and should have a reasonable level of both written and spoken English.

Next available dates?

Learn more about this course, available dates and application process at Forward Academic Team here…