An up-to-date focus on the scope of practice of one group of dental care professionals (DCPs), as described by the General Dental Council (GDC).
Dental nurses are registered dental professionals who provide clinical and other support to registrants and patients. As a dental nurse, you can undertake the following if you are trained, competent and indemnified:
Prepare and maintain the clinical environment, including the equipment
Carry out infection prevention and control procedures to prevent physical, chemical and microbiological contamination in the surgery or laboratory
Record dental charting and oral tissue assessment carried out by other registrants
Prepare, mix and handle dental bio-materials
Provide chairside support to the operator during treatment
Keep full, accurate and contemporaneous patient records
Prepare equipment, materials and patients for dental radiography
Process dental radiographs
Monitor, support and reassure patients
Give appropriate patient advice
Support the patient and their colleagues if there is a medical emergency
Make appropriate referrals to other health professionals
Additional skills dental nurses could develop include:
Further skills in oral health education and oral health promotion
Assisting in the treatment of patients who are under conscious sedation
Further skills in assisting in the treatment of patients with special needs
Further skills in assisting in the treatment of orthodontic patients
Intra- and extra-oral photography
Pouring, casting and trimming study models
Additional skills carried out on prescription from, or under the direction of, another registrant:
Placing rubber dam
Measuring and recording plaque indices
Removing sutures after the wound has been checked by a dentist
Constructing occlusal registration rims and special trays
Repairing the acrylic component of removable appliances
Applying topical anaesthetic to the prescription of a dentist
Constructing mouthguards and bleaching trays to the prescription of a dentist
Constructing vacuum-formed retainers to the prescription of a dentist
Taking impressions to the prescription of a dentist or a CDT (where appropriate).
Dental nurses can apply fluoride varnish either on prescription from a dentist or direct as part of a structured dental health programme.
Dental nurses do not diagnose disease or treatment plan. All other skills are reserved to one or more of the other registrant groups.