Dental Nurse

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Morecambe; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider is seeking a dedicated Dental Nurse in Morecambe. The role involves assisting with clinical procedures, managing dental materials, ensuring compliance with health standards, and actively participating in professional development. The ideal candidate will hold a valid dental nursing registration and have experience in a clinical setting. This position offers a opportunity to contribute to healthcare services in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications

• Must have a valid dental nursing registration.
• Clinical experience with dental procedures and radiography.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.

Responsibilities

• Assist and chaperone the dentist during procedures.
• Prepare materials and instruments for treatments.
• Safely process and store x-ray films.
• Clean clinical areas and sterilise instruments.
• Conduct health promotion initiatives.

Skills

Chairside support

Clinical preparation

Radiography

Infection control

Professional development

Inventory management

Ethical practice

Health promotion

Education

Registered Dental Nurse

Job description

Overview

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. We provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries. We welcome and encourage applications from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS. Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance. Working patterns such as part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored.

• Chairside Support: Assist and chaperone the dentist during procedures, including those involving general anaesthesia and sedation.
• Clinical Preparation: Prepare materials, instruments, and equipment for treatments.
• Radiography: Safely process and store x-ray films in compliance with health and safety standards.
• Professional Standards: Maintain dental nursing registration, complete CPD, and attend relevant courses.
• Inventory Management: Monitor and manage stock of dental materials and consumables.
• Equipment Care: Perform routine maintenance on dental units and tools.
• Infection Control: Sterilise instruments, clean clinical areas, and dispose of waste per guidelines.
• Safety Checks: Conduct daily autoclave tests and monthly emergency kit inspections.
• Ethical Practice: Follow GDC Code of Ethics and respond to child protection concerns per Trust policy.
• Health Promotion: Support dental health initiatives and education.
• Professional Development: Engage in appraisals and personal development planning.
• Clinical Audit: Participate in audits through data collection and action plan implementation.

• Assist and chaperone the dentist at the chairside during operative procedures including general anaesthesia and sedation situations.
• Preparation of filling materials, impression materials, instruments, equipment and dressings etc.
• Ensure safe, careful processing of x-ray films and their storage with patient records, in line with health and safety regulations.
• Maintain all requirements related to the profession of dental nursing including CPD, registration and attendance at appropriate courses whether mandatory or elective.
• Stock control of dental materials and other consumables.
• Care and minor maintenance of dental unit, chair, handpieces and other equipment.
• Decontamination / sterilisation of instruments, cleaning of work surfaces in the clinical area and safe disposal of clinical waste in accordance with departmental cross infection control guidelines.
• Daily testing of bench top autoclave. Monthly checks of resuscitation drug kit and emergency oxygen.
• Adhere to the General Dental Councils Code of Ethics for all professions complimentary to dentistry.
• Be aware of and respond accordingly to the Trust policy where child protection issues are suspected.
• Contribute to health promotion around dental issues and support initiatives in health promotion.
• Participate in the annual appraisal process and the development and implementation of activities identified on the personal development plan.
• Contribute to the clinical audit activities within the department through data collection and the implementation of action plans.

The post holder will be required to fulfil a comprehensive range of dental nursing duties within the Specialist Dental Services. The appointed Dental Nurse will be based at the Dental Access Centre in the Queen Victoria Centre, the role is to support the whole team. You may be expected to provide cover at other clinical bases such as the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, and Dental Education Centre that deliver our services when necessary to maintain efficient services.

If the role you have applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this as part of your pre-employment checks. Please note, you will be required to repay the cost on appointment. This will be collected via a salary deduction. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £25.50, Standard DBS check £25.50 and Enhanced DBS check £53.50. You are encouraged where possible, to register for the DBS update service. This is an annual registration fee of £16. By registering for the update service you will not have the additional cost of repeated disclosures. Should you withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. By submitting an application for this vacancy you are confirming your agreement to the above in the event you are successfully appointed. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.

Please ensure that you read the Person Specification attached below as your application will be judged against this. Please note that every effort will be made to keep the vacancy live until published closing date, though there may be instances where such interest is generated, that for administrative reasons the post may close earlier. In line with national NHS guidelines this Trust operates a strict non-smoking policy. Members of staff are not permitted to smoke on Trust premises or grounds at any time nor take breaks during working hours for the purposes of smoking. The Trust does not offer interview expenses to shortlisted candidates unless indicated in the advert.