Dental Nurse Apprenticeship Level 3 (AFHSC)

This apprenticeship is suitable if you would like a career as a Dental Nurse. A Dental Nurse provides ‘chair-side support’ for the dental team, which includes dentists, dental therapists, hygienists and technicians. Dental Nurses may work in a variety of clinical environments and the apprenticeship reflects all aspects of clinical responsibilities and duties of a Dental Nurse’s role and will provide the apprentice with the relevant qualification to apply to the General Dental Council (GDC) for professional registration as a Dental Nurse.

You will study:

• Dental and regional anatomy, plus oral anatomy and physiology.
• Respiratory and circulatory systems and how to recognise the range and functions of normal human structures.
• Health promotion and disease prevention and the basic principles of a population health care approach, including oral and general health care.
• Factors that can affect oral and general health care and the transmission of infectious diseases and their prevention.
• Mechanisms for the prevention of infection, plus the scientific principles of decontamination and disinfection and relevance to health and safety and current best practice guidelines.
• The dental team and GDC guidelines including roles and responsibilities of the Dental Nurse and other Dental Care Professionals involved in patient management.

Your own Clinical skills will be developed as you will need to demonstrate how you:

• Prepare and maintain the clinical environment before, during and after dental procedures.
• Prepare records, equipment and resources for all stages of treatment including dental radiography.
• Work in a safe and efficient manner. •Undertake audits, testing and maintenance of equipment and maintain appropriate records to reflect this.
• Manage and perform effective decontamination and infection control procedures complying with legislative, local and current best practice guidelines.
• Provide chair-side support to the operator during clinical dental procedures.
• Prepare, mix and handle dental materials in correct manner whilst ensuring manufacturers’ requirements for storage, usage and disposal are facilitated.
• Record dental charting and oral tissue assessment carried out by other registrants.

Your trainer will make appointments for observation visits in the workplace. You will also participate in professional discussion and your employer should provide witness statements to the college trainer.

•It is desirable that you have English and maths at grade C/4 or above or Level 2 Functional/Key Skills, although this is not essential as Level 2 Functional Skills can be delivered as part of the apprenticeship programme

• It is essential that you complete all vaccinations for Hepatitis B.

•You will need to find an employer to employ you as an apprentice

Progression into employment as a Dental Nurse or a Level 4 Dental Nurse Management qualification. On completion of this apprenticeship the apprentice can register with the General Dental Council as a qualified Dental Nurse.