Dental Nurse

Typical Salary

£19,737 To £30,615

Typical Hours

37 to 40 a week

evenings / weekends on a rota

How To Become a Dental Nurse

You can get into this job through:

a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role

College / University

You can study for a Level 3 Diploma in Dental Nursing.

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

Apprenticeship

You can take an advanced apprenticeship in dental nursing.

5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

Routes into this Career

A common route is to start with a dental practice as a trainee and study for a dental nursing qualification on the job.

Other Routes

Other Routes are not listed for this job.

Skills And Knowledge

You'll need:

the ability to work well with others
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
sensitivity and understanding
knowledge of medicine and dentistry
customer service skills
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to work well with your hands
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Day To Day Tasks

In this role you could:

pass instruments to the dentist or hygienist
remove water and saliva from the patient's mouth during treatment
prepare materials to make fillings
make sure that the patient is relaxed and comfortable at all times
keep the surgery tidy and sterile
sterilise instruments
record information about each patient

Working Environment

You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.

You may need to wear protective clothing and a uniform.

Career Path & Progression

With experience you may be able to move into jobs like team manager, team leader or dental practice manager.

You could serve in the armed forces as a dental nurse. You can find out more about dental careers in the military from:

With further training you could become a dental therapist, helping a dentist carry out the more routine dentistry work. You could also become a dental hygienist, helping people to look after their teeth and gums.

You might decide to train as an orthodontic therapist helping dentists to improve the look and position of a patient's teeth.

Health Careers has information on careers in all areas of the dental team.

Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Opportunities are not listed for this job.

Tips & Information

Registration

you'll need to register with the General Dental Council

Professional and industry bodies

You can join The British Association of Dental Nurses for professional development training.

Further information

You can get more details about dental nursing from Health Careers.

Restrictions & Requirements

You'll need to:

pass enhanced background checks