Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner

NHS; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Part time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in Cheltenham is looking for a Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner to join their team. The role involves delivering high-quality dental care to diverse patient groups in a general practice setting. Candidates should have a relevant diploma and experience in managing patients under direct access. The position offers a permanent part-time schedule of 22.5 hours per week with a competitive salary ranging from £47,810 to £54,710 pro rata.

Qualifications

• Must have previous experience delivering a wide variety of treatments under direct access model.
• Skilled in providing oral health plans and instruction to patients with complex needs.

Responsibilities

• Perform clinical, restorative or preventative procedures without direct supervision.
• Plan management for patients with additional needs and moderate to severe anxiety.
• Maintain patient records accurately following care delivery.

Skills

Clinical experience in a full range of dental care treatments

Management of anxious patients

Oral health advice

Education

Diploma or degree in Dental Therapy and Hygiene

Registered with GDC

Diploma in Dental Health Education

Job description

Overview

Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner opportunity at Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust Community Dental Services, supporting our Dental Practice in Springbank, Cheltenham. This role is offered on a permanent basis. The hours are part-time, 22.5 hours per week. Closing date: 09 October 2025.

This is an opportunity to be part of an experienced team delivering care in a general practice setting and to gain valuable experience, with a variety of different patient cohorts.

Main duties of the job

The patients who access the Springbank Dental service include both adults and children. The post holder will be supported by a dedicated Senior Dental Officer alongside a highly experienced and friendly dental team.

The post holder will be encouraged to utilise their full scope of practice to perform a range of clinical, restorative or preventative procedures to patients without direct supervision, and to work under the direction of dentists within the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust Community Dental Service or under direct access to defined patient groups. You will need previous experience of delivering a wide variety of treatments under the direct access model.

The Community Dental Services Gloucestershire is passionate about investing in its dental team. We provide our staff with opportunities to grow their capabilities and support Dental Therapists to develop their skills.

The qualification, training & experience requirements for the role are underlined in the Job Description/Person Specification.

About us

We have a skilled and dedicated workforce of over 5000 colleagues working in a diverse range of services over 55 sites and within people's homes. We strive to enable a welcoming workplace culture that builds and celebrates civility, inclusivity and diversity, while providing a sense of belonging and trust.

Annual staff surveys, regular Pulse surveys and other engagement opportunities provide our people with lots of opportunity to tell us about their experiences of working with us. In the latest staff survey, 61% of colleagues gave us their views. It was great to hear that:

• 72% of colleagues would recommend the Trust as a place to work, ranking us 1st for Provider Trusts in the South West region on this question.
• 76% would recommend the standard of care provided in our services if a friend or relative needed treatment, also ranking us 1st in the South West region.
• 81% said that care of patients and service users is the Trust's priority, compared with an average in comparable NHS Trusts in England of 64%.

This high-level overview shows we are in a healthy position, with higher scores than average for comparable organisations, alongside a great response rate, indicating good staff engagement. However, we also know we have plenty of room for improvement in many areas. To that end, we continue to prioritise and invest in our commitment to genuinely becoming a Great Place to Work with consistent top-quartile performance in the annual staff survey and Pulse surveys.

Job responsibilities

• To perform a range of specialist clinical, restorative or preventative procedures without direct supervision according to treatment plans under the direction of dentists within the Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust Community Dental Service or under direct access to defined patient groups.
• To plan the management of patients, often patients with additional needs, paediatric patients and patients with moderate to severe anxiety, demonstrating an understanding of their physical and social needs.
• To maintain any associated patient records following delivery of care.
• To provide oral health advice, oral health plans and instruction to specific client groups with multiple complex needs and to provide advice and instruction to parents and carers.
• To carry out a significant range of clinical procedures/activities to a high standard and comply with all relevant local and national guidance.
• To communicate effectively and empathetically with patients and their carers, often in highly complex situations.
• Provide clinical day to day supervision to dental nurses and apprentice/trainee dental nurses.

The Trust is required to work in line with the Governments UK Visa and Immigration Rules and Regulations. For more information about sponsorship for certain roles, please visit - https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Diploma or degree in Dental Therapy and Hygiene (or equivalent UK qualification required for GDC registration)
• Registered with GDC
• Diploma in Dental Health Education

Experience

• Clinical experience of full range of dental care treatments recognised as within dental therapist advanced practitioners scope of practice
• Skilled/Experienced in the management of anxious patients
• Experience of independently managing patients under direct access
• Clinical experience in NHS dental practice or Community Dental Service

Specialist knowledge

• Trained to undertake additional therapy duties
• Evidence of participation in Clinical Audit

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a year (pro rata)