Dental Nurse

Job overview

We are looking for a motivated and compassionate Dental Nurse to join our Community and Specialist Dental Service Team. You will play an important role in helping us deliver high-quality dental care to children and adults who are unable to access treatment through a General Dental Practitioner.

Working as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, you will assist in providing a full range of NHS restorative and preventive dental treatments, including supporting sedation services. Care may be delivered in clinics, schools, care homes, day centres and patients' homes where appropriate.

You will prepare clinical environments, support clinicians during treatment and help ensure patients receive safe, effective and person-centred care. This includes responding to individual needs, providing pre- and post-treatment information, and always maintaining patients' privacy, dignity and wellbeing.

The role also involves preparing surgeries and temporary clinical settings, ensuring appropriate infection prevention measures are followed and that equipment, instruments and materials are available and ready for use.

If you are committed to delivering excellent patient care, enjoy working collaboratively and want to make a positive difference to people who may face barriers to accessing dental services, we would welcome your application.

Main duties of the job

• Provide chairside support to clinicians and contribute to the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care.
• Support inhalation and intravenous sedation clinics. Training will be provided where required.
• Prepare and maintain clinical environments, ensuring equipment, materials and instruments are available and ready for use.
• Follow Trust policies and local procedures relating to infection prevention, radiography, waste management and health and safety.
• Decontaminate dental instruments in accordance with HTM 01-05 and other relevant guidance.
• Maintain appropriate stock levels and carry out stock rotation.
• Check that emergency drugs and equipment are available, in date and ready for use.
• Maintain accurate patient records and electronic diaries in line with information governance and data protection requirements.
• Receive and record patient fees and follow cash-handling procedures where required.
• Communicate clearly and professionally with patients, carers and colleagues.
• Adapt communication to meet individual needs, including supporting people with communication difficulties, learning disabilities, anxiety, sensory impairments or other additional needs.
• Communicate effectively in person, by telephone, in writing and electronically.
• Work collaboratively with health and social care professionals to support positive patient outcomes and a high-quality patient experience.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Applicants are expected to present clear and relevant evidence of the competencies and responsibilities detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification, together with a demonstrated commitment to the Trust’s values of Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.