Dental Nurse

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Maidenhead; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working options

28+ days annual leave (rising with use

Learning and career development

Cycle to Work scheme

Free parking

Job summary

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a motivated Dental Nurse (Band 4) for a fixed-term 12-month contract at St Marks Hospital, Maidenhead. The role involves clinical and administrative support, assisting dentists, and rotating to multiple clinics across Berkshire.

Applicants must hold a National Certificate for Dental Nurses or NVQ Level 3 in Oral Healthcare and be registered with the GDC. Travel between sites is required; 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Fri, 08:30-17:00.

Qualifications

• National Certificate for Dental Nurses or NVQ Level 3 in Oral Healthcare.
• Current registration with the General Dental Council (GDC).
• Experience working as part of a dental team providing chairside support in a dental setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide clinical and administrative support to dentists delivering care.
• Support a wide range of dental procedures and ensure smooth clinic operation.
• Prepare and monitor patients during treatment and provide pre- and post-operative instructions.
• Assist with dental radiography under supervision and process X-rays.
• Maintain stock and ensure equipment and emergency drugs are available.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Confidentiality

Organisational skills

Working under pressure

Computer skills

Emotional resilience

Education

National Certificate for Dental Nurses or NVQ Level 3 in Oral Healthcare

General Dental Council registration

Job description

Main area Dental Nursing Grade Band 4 Contract 12 months (Fixed term end date will be determined after pre-employment checks have been completed) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 371-CHS1348

Site St Marks Hospital, 112 St Marks Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire Town Maidenhead Salary £29,812 - £32,715 per annum (Incl. of HCAS) Salary period Yearly Closing 14/09/2026 23:59

Job overview

The Community Dental Service is seeking a motivated and compassionate Dental Nurse (Band 4) to join our team on a fixed term basis (12-months). The post holder will provide high‑quality clinical and administrative support to dentists delivering care to patients who are unable to access general dental services due to disability, medical complexity or the need for specialist care.

You will assist in a wide range of dental procedures, ensuring the smooth running of clinics, maintaining high standards of infection prevention and control, and delivering safe, patient‑centred care always. The role involves supporting patients of all ages, many of whom may require additional reassurance, empathy and communication support.

The post is based at St Marks Hospital (until re-opening of original base location- Langley Health Centre), with regular travel to various clinics and sites across Berkshire, therefore flexibility and the ability to travel are essential.

This role is full‑time, 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday, 08:30 – 17:00 and is ideal for a Dental Nurse who enjoys working as part of a multidisciplinary team in a community setting. Opportunities for development and training are actively supported within the service.

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under current UK immigration rules. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.

Main duties of the job

• To provide comprehensive support to clinicians, throughout a wide range of different types of clinical treatments.
• To provide clinical support as described above within a wide range of settings - including fixed sites and clinics, and other environments which include patients’ homes, residential care and nursing homes, hospices and hospitals.
• To support all patients as they undergo dental treatment responding to individual patient’s needs.
• To set up and prepare the dental surgery or theatre for use at the beginning of the session.
• To prepare and monitor patients for and during their dental treatment providing pre- and post-operative instruction where needed.To assist and support the clinician with his/her clinical duties, operative procedures and instructions
• To assist with dental radiography under the supervision of an operator, process dental x-rays following the Quality Assurance Policy.
• To ensure adequate stock are maintained and ordered and that material has not expired using a rotational system.
• To ensure that emergency medical drugs and equipment are available, in full working order and not expired.
• To fulfil mandatory CPR.
• Maintain and update patients’ records within an efficient filing system, where required, and maintain data protection.
• To arrange appointments using dental knowledge to assess patient needs and allow appropriate time required for the clinician.

Working for our organisation

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we’re committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• ‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The “must haves” for this role:

• National Certificate for Dental Nurses or NVQ Level 3 in Oral Healthcare
• Current registration with the General Dental Council (GDC)
• Experience working as part of a dental team providing chairside support in a dental setting (general practice, hospital, CDS or PDS)

We’re committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Stonewall Proud Employer, Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don’t hesitate to call: Meenu Gopakumar on 07800 917960 or email: [e-mail] who’ll be delighted to help.

Person specification

Education, qualifications or training

• National Certificate for Dental Nurses or NVQ Level 3 in Oral Healthcare
• Registered with the General Dental Council

Continuous Professional Development

• Portfolio of evidence of CPD

Previous Experience

• To have worked as part of a dental team, e.g. general practice, hospital, other PDS / CDS providing chair side duties

Knowledge, skills and abilities

• Communication and interpersonal skills
• Understand principles of confidentiality
• Organisational skills and initiative
• Ability to work under pressure and on own initiative
• Excellent computer skills including experience with dental software
• Ability to deal with emotional and distressing situations

Additional Requirements

• Current UK driving license
• Use of car for travel between clinics
• Ability to work outside normal working hours (8.30 – 17.00) given sufficient notice

Our Trust’s vision is ‘To be a great place to get care, a great place to give care.’
This vision guides everything we do – for our patients, their carers, their families, our staff, and our partners. To achieve it, we are committed to a strong set of values that underpin the way we work:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority – we put people at the centre of everything we do.
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services – we strive for excellence in care and in our ways of working.
• Working together with you to develop innovative solutions – we collaborate with patients, carers, colleagues, and communities to deliver care that makes a difference.

These values are brought to life through our four Trust Behaviours, which are essential to how we work and the culture we create:

• Compassionate – Motivated to positively impact the wellbeing of self and others.
• Curious – Listening, learning and exploring new ideas and ways of working to continually improve what we do.
• Inclusive – Valuing diversity and championing equity by ensuring everyone feels recognised.
  able to contribute and committed to actively addressing unfairness.
• Perseverance – Demonstrates resilience and flexibility even during periods of uncertainty, to achieve goals that contribute to high-quality care and services.

At Berkshire Healthcare, we foster an inclusive workplace where everyone belongs.

We welcome talent from all backgrounds and offer guaranteed interviews to disabled applicants and armed forces community members who meet the minimum criteria.

Please note we may close positions before the advertised date.

Once you have applied, please check your email regularly for updates. All appointments are subject to NHS Employment Checks, and false information may result in withdrawal of offers. For information on how we store your information, please review our privacy statement .

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

We’re always happy to support our colleagues in finding new challenges within the trust. Whether you're looking for a fresh start, a step up, or a change of direction, explore our latest vacancies and secondments.