Trainee Dental Nurse

Transformationunitgm; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 24,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading NHS provider as a Trainee Dental Nurse in beautiful Haywards Heath, where you will gain the necessary training and experience to become a fully qualified Dental Nurse. This role involves key responsibilities such as maintaining patient records, assisting in dental treatments, and ensuring a high standard of patient care, contributing to a compassionate team environment dedicated to community health.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Training and development opportunities

Workplace nurseries

Qualifications

• Some previous clinical experience preferred.
• Working knowledge of reception duties and IT systems.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate patient records and ensure compliance with policies.
• Assist during treatment and provide empathetic support to patients.
• Participate in the management of medical emergencies as required.

Skills

Teamwork

Prioritization

Basic IT knowledge

Education

Willingness to work towards Professional Registration

Job description

Employer Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Haywards Heath Health Centre Town Haywards heath Salary £23,874.98 per annum annex 21 pay scale - National Living Wage Salary period Yearly Closing 29/06/2025 23:59

Trainee Dental Nurse

3

Job overview

Are you passionate about patient care and want to make a difference?

Join us as a Trainee Dental Nurse and take the first step towards becoming a fully qualified Dental Nurse within the NHS. If you are well organised, able to prioritise and enjoy working as part of a team to provide excellent patient care, then we look forward to hearing from you.

The Special Care Dental Service is part of a countywide service providing NHS Dental treatment to patients on referral, from General Dental Practitioners, GPs and other health and social care professionals. We have clinics across the county, operating Mondays to Fridays, 08:30am to 4:30pm, as well as a domiciliary service

Main duties of the job

a)Maintain accurate, computerised and paper dental records of patients to comply with the Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust policies

b)To conform to all Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and Special Care Dentistry policies, procedures and guidelines

c)Provide nursing cover at short notice and possibly for an extended period at any clinic throughout the county/ within regional area), (including the administrative responsibilities usually undertaken by the dental nurse in post) if alternate cover cannot be appointed

d)Participate supervision in line with trust policy

e)Participate in evidence collation for The Care Quality Commission (CQC)

Working for our organisation

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?
• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
• Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

a) To be responsible for training and development leading to a professional qualification by attending all educational based training (inc’ classroom and practical based Elements)

b) Develop competence across a wide range of dental chairside support procedures

c) Learn to preparation of the clinical environment for patient care following all Special Care Dental Services and Trust policies & procedures, including Infection control.

d) Responsible for patient care before, during and after their treatment, monitoring the patient throughout, offering guidance and support in a way in which complement the actions of other team members

e) Develop competence in preparing clinical materials accurately, following manufacturers guidelines

f) Develop a comprehensive knowledge and application of a wide range of dental instruments and other relevant equipment necessary during preparation for treatment procedures.

g) Assist during treatment using appropriate techniques to ensure procedures are carried out efficiently and effectively

h) To work openly and cooperatively with patients and their families, recognising their involvement in the planning and delivery of care

i) To provide empathy & reassurance to patients and respond to the patients’ needs for care, irrespective of the nature of their health problems

j) Complete Quality assurance processes / checks to include dental radiography, decontamination, emergency drugs

k) Develop competence in providing Oral Hygiene advice, instruction and post-operative care in a way in which compliments the actions of other members of the team

l) Provide assistance during domiciliary visits, preparing domiciliary kit, emergency drug kit and oxygen. Ensure efficient Infection Control throughout visit following internal policy

m) Maintain stock control levels, checking expiry dates and ensuring the safe disposal of medicines and exhausted materials according to Trust Waste Disposal policy

n) Responsible in ensuring all dental laboratory work is collected and delivered accordingly to ensure efficient patient care

o) Develop and demonstrate competence in decontamination and sterilisation of dental instruments and devices and storage following procedures according to national guidance and local policies

p) Ensure appropriate disposal of clinical and special waste

q) Competency in using IT Dental Software including all aspects of patient charting

r) Following appropriate training being responsible for general maintenance of equipment within the clinic environment

s) Participate in the management of medical emergencies as / if required and in line with responsibility / grade of post

t) To maintain high professional standards with a commitment to compulsory & continual professional development, as outlined by GDC and as applicable to Statutory Registration

u) To conform to all Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust and Special Care Dental Services policies, procedures and guidelines

v) General reception duties to ensure smooth running of clinic i.e. emailing, copying, opening post, answer telephone calls and callers in person

w) Make appointments for patients to continue treatment and arrange recalls as required

x) Collect patient’s payment and bank as required.

y) Organise transport and translators where required

Person specification

Skills

• Ability to work well within a team, prioritising tasks and working well under pressure
• Working basic knowledge of windows based applications

Knowledge

• Working knowledge of windows based IT systems, reception duties

Qualifications

• Willing to work towards Professional Registration with an approved provider

Experience

• Some previous clinical experience
• Knowledge of HTM01:05

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Name Emma Mason Job title Dental Nurse Manager Email address [e-mail] Telephone number 07775024502 Additional information

Annex 21 pay scale - National living wage £12.21 per hour or £23,874.98 per annum

Once qualified Band 4