Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner

Livewell Southwest; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Livewell Southwest invites applications for a Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner within Plymouth Community Dental Services. This Band 7 role combines high-level clinical practice with leadership and service development to improve access for vulnerable patients.

You will work autonomously within a multidisciplinary team, offering conscious sedation, comprehensive restorative and preventative care, and guidance to colleagues. The post is available to LWSW employees only.

Qualifications

• Full GDC registration without conditions.
• Diploma/degree in Dental Hygiene and Therapy or equivalent.
• Postgraduate IACSD Accreditation in Inhalation Sedation.
• Exemption training for the supply and administration of medicines.

Responsibilities

• Deliver advanced dental treatments within treatment plans.
• Assess, diagnose, prescribe, and radiograph within scope.
• Create personalised treatment plans considering complex needs.
• Provide care under sedation and GA as required.
• Educate patients and carers on oral health.

Skills

Excellent communication

Empathy/patient care

Patient management

Team collaboration

Adaptable under pressure

Education

GDC registration (unconditional)

Dental Hygiene and Therapy degree

IACSD Inhalation Sedation accreditation

Medicines exemption training

Dental education certificate (Desirable)

Tools

Dentally dental software

Job description

Job summary

Internal applicants only LWSW employees only

This post is available to LWSW employees only. Please do not share these details outside of the organisation.

Up to 37.5 hours per week.

Plymouth Community Dental Services (PCDS) is delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced Dental Therapist to join our team in a newly developed Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner role.

Recognised at Band 7, this innovative position reflects the advanced clinical expertise, leadership responsibilities and specialist skills required to support the future of community dentistry. It offers an excellent opportunity to develop your career whilst making a meaningful difference to the oral health of some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

As a Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner, you will deliver high-quality, evidence-based care to patients with a wide range of needs, including children, individuals with additional needs and those experiencing significant dental anxiety. Working autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will combine advanced clinical practice with service development, education and professional leadership.

You will have the opportunity to influence patient pathways, support and develop colleagues, contribute to innovation and quality improvement initiatives, and play a key role in improving access to dental services for patients who may face barriers to care.

Main duties of the job

This role offers a unique blend of clinical challenge, professional autonomy and leadership development, alongside the satisfaction of improving outcomes for patients and helping shape the future of community dental services.

Key responsibilities:

• Providing advanced preventative, restorative and therapeutic dental treatments independently and within agreed treatment plans.
• Assessing, examining and managing patients, including diagnosis within scope, prescribing, taking and reporting on radiographs.
• Developing personalised treatment plans that consider patients' physical, emotional and social needs.
• Delivering care under conscious sedation and supporting treatment provided under general anaesthetic.
• Providing oral health education, preventative advice and treatment plans to patients, parents and carers, particularly those with complex needs.
• Maintaining accurate clinical records, making referrals and ensuring continuity of care.
• Communicating effectively and compassionately with patients who may have physical disabilities, learning disabilities or complex medical conditions.
• Working collaboratively with dentists, specialists and the wider multidisciplinary team to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

This role may not be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route.

Please note that we may close the job advertisement earlier than the specified deadline.

All staff are expected to be able and willing to work across a 7 day service.

About us

Livewell Southwest is an independent, award-winning social enterprise delivering integrated health and social care services across Plymouth, South Hams, and West Devon, with specialist services in parts of Devon and Cornwall. Our teams work in community hospitals, GP practices, sports centres, and health hubs.

As an organisation with a strong social conscience we are guided by our values, kindness, respect, inclusivity, ambition, responsibility, and collaboration. We focus on transforming services to ensure sustainability, while empowering staff and those we serve.

We involve the people we care for, along with their families and carers, in shaping the care they receive, striving to deliver the right care at the right time and place. Centering our work on individual needs helps people lead healthy, independent lives.

Livewell Southwest values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community, including those with armed forces experience, lived experience of mental health, neuro-diverse conditions and learning disabilities. If you need assistance or reasonable adjustments during the application process, contact the Recruiting Manager listed in the job advert.

Job responsibilities

The following list reflects typical duties that the post holder could be expected to undertake. This is not an exhaustive list, and may be subject to change, by mutual agreement, to meet the changing needs and requirements of the service.

Full training and support will be provided where required.

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 Plymouth Community Dental Service (PCDS) or under direct access to defined patient groups.

Deliver high quality, efficient and effective dental treatment within the General Dental Councils scope of practice pertaining to a Dental Therapist Advanced Practitioner and adherence to relevant local guidance.

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.

Undertaking examinations, diagnosing within scope and prescribing, acquiring and reporting on radiographs as appropriate.

Supporting the provision of dental care under general anaesthetic, under the supervision of a dentist.

To maintain any associated patients records following delivery of care and undertake referrals where appropriate.

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.

Support undergraduate dental therapists and dental students undertaking clinical observations.

Communication with patients and their carers effectively and empathetically, who may have more complex medical conditions or special needs patients who may have physical/learning disabilities. To ensure appropriate and enhanced methods of communication are used where suitable, such as easy read or Makaton.

Liaise and work collaboratively with Specialists, Senior Dental Officers, Dental Officers and Dental Nurses.

To provide dental treatment using conscious sedation to phobic/nervous patients when indicated as required.

To annually carry out fieldwork and record and report the results contributing to national epidemiology programmes (BASCD). Be responsible for safe working and practice on a day-to-day basis in sites of clinical activity, ensuring compliance with clinical governance and legislation, appropriate health, safety and security procedures within the work area, and report accidents, incidents and near misses using the organisations incident reporting procedure. To maintain up to date knowledge and skills on clinical techniques and their application to patient dental care. To provide clinical advice to staff or other health care workers on dental matters as appropriate within own scope of practice. Provision of services on more than one site as dictated by service requirements. Recognise and assist with management of medical emergencies within the dental surgery. Have a comprehensive knowledge of service emergency drugs protocol and competence for use in medical emergencies.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Full GDC registration without conditions
• Diploma or degree in Dental Hygiene and Therapy or equivalent.
• Postgraduate IACSD Accreditation in Inhalation Sedation
• Exemption training for the supply and administration of medicines

Desirable

• Postgraduate certificate in dental education

Experience

Essential

• Significant, relevant dental experience post qualification
• Clinical experience of full range of dental care treatments recognised as within dental therapist advanced practitioners scope of practice
• Experience of working with child and adult patients with multiple/complex/highly complex needs
• Skilled/experienced in the management of anxious patients
• Experience of treatment delivery using inhalation sedation
• Evidence of CPD
• Ability to deal with the public in a courteous and professional manner, and be competent and confident in dealing with patients

Desirable

• Experience of working in an NHS dental practice or Community Dental Service
• Experience of independently managing patients under direct access

Specific Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills, both written and spoken
• Ability to demonstrate understanding and patience, balancing compassion, diplomacy, and assertiveness.
• Efficient IT skills and confidence in utilising new technology
• Effective time management skills and ability to work within time frames.
• Ability to maintain good working relationships with colleagues and work as part of team.
• Adaptable and able to cope with change.
• Well organised and able to work efficiently and effectively under pressure, multi-task and prioritise on own initiative.
• Good clinical and patient management skills
• Commitment to pursuing Continuing Professional Development
• Undertake mandatory CPD and keep this up to date
• Communication and empathetic skills beyond those required for routine dental care in general dental practice

Desirable

• Knowledge of Dentally dental software

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).