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Job overview
We are looking for a fully qualified Senior Dental Nurse to join the Dental team on Child Dental Health. We have a full time vacancy available 37.5 hours per week. Part time applicants will also be considered. Essential working days for part time would be Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. You will be required to carry out a full range of dental nursing duties and provide senior-level dental nursing care for a wide range of patients undergoing Paediatric, Orthodontic and Cleft treatments. The successful candidate will also be required to support theatre sessions within the speciality on Trust site.
Main duties of the job
A key aspect of your role will be to supervise, train and clinically assess student dental nurses undertaking NVQ Level 3 /NEBDN dental nursing qualification, acting as a role model and mentor. You will contribute to the development of practice/procedure within your designated service to improve quality, safety and patient experience. Additionally, you will participate in clinical and environmental audits (i.e., infection control), and undertake a link nurse role. In the absence of the Dental Nurse Manager, you will provide day-to day management of your designated dental service and be able to work flexibly across other dental services, including those delivered in satellite centres within the community.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and Person Specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person specification
Aptitudes
Essential
- • Enthusiastic, highly motivated, and able to inspire others (E)
- • Ability to manage self and exhibit skills, including self-awareness, self- management, and drive for improvement (E)
- • Analytical (E)
- • Personal resilience (E)
- • Flexibility (E)
- • Able to use own initiative (E)
- • Able to work under pressure to meet deadlines (E)
- • Team player (E)
- • Innovative (E)
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- • Able to work effectively with others as part of a team (E)
- • Ability to work under instruction and show initiative by prioritising and organising workload (E)
- • Competent in operating a computer (E)
- • Good communication and interpersonal skills (E)
- • Ability to carry out routine/repetitive activities (E)
- • Ability to prioritise (E)
- • Ability to stand for long periods of time (E)
- • Dexterity – ability to handle/manoeuvre equipment/instruments across a wide range of sizes, weights and environments (E)
- • Manual handling – ability to manoeuvre trolleys and instrumentation boxes in line with trust policy (E)
- • Able to work autonomously (E)
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- • Enhanced knowledge of a range of dental nursing procedures (E)
- • Experience of assisting with a diverse range of patients (E)
Desirable
- • Experience of a variety of settings i.e., hospital, community clinic, NHS/Private Practice (D)
- • Experience of being part of a quality improvement project and understanding the underpinning principles (D)
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- • National Diploma in Dental Nursing (or equivalent Level 3 Dental Nursing qualification) (E) •
- • Valid GDC registration (E)
- • Post registration qualification in Conscious Sedation, Special Care Dentistry, Oral Health Education, Dental Radiography, Implantology or Orthodontics (E)
Desirable
- • Completion of enhanced dental nurse courses such as fluoride application (D)
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Senior Dental Nurse with University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust in Bristol, South West, England. It is listed as a Band 5 Dental nurse role. The advertised salary is £32,073 - £39,043 per annum, pro rata for part time roles. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 10 Aug 2026.
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