A dental nursing career is a desirable profession since people can step into a clinical environment and even progress further if they wish to. Dental nurses in the UK can earn up to £33,000 a year according to the National Careers website, which is not so bad for someone who has no experience in the clinical environment. The entry requirements are usually very low; however, a good English language is a must. No qualification is required to start learning and working as a trainee dental nurse, except that a person must be enrolled on an accredited dental nursing course.
The course usually takes 12-18 months to complete, and students are required to work as trainee dental nurses for the duration of the course. During that time, you will learn an extensive syllabus of dental nursing, including health and safety, medical emergencies, oral surgeries, dental anatomy, anxiety control and oral disease. There are many course providers to choose from, and there are also a few different qualifications that people can get. The NEBDN dental nursing programme contains 11 different modules that must be learned before a student can take the dental nurse examination. There are also practical assignments called the Records of Experience, that must be completed whilst working in a clinic. At the end of the course, students must take 2 exams, and if they pass, they are rewarded with the Level 3 National Diploma in Dental Nursing, allowing them to work as qualified dental nurses in the UK.
Some of the duties that dental nurses encounter while working at the clinic:
- Preparing dental instruments for dentist
- Ensuring the environment is clean and disinfected
- Recording dental charts of the patients
- Preparing and mixing the dental materials
- Providing chairside support during treatments
- Updating patient records
- Processing dental radiographs
- Supporting patients
Once someone decides to become a qualified dental nurse, the first thing to do is to find an accredited course provider such as Dental Tutors. Their online dental nursing course is highly ranked among other providers, and the reviews are outstanding. It is important to note that this course is only available for people in the UK.