Apprentice Dental nurse Review

My day-to-day roles include setting up the surgery each morning, setting up the chair and the instruments for the first patient and cleaning the work tops. I have to assist the dentist by passing instruments, preparing materials and taking notes during appointments. I welcome patients into the surgery, and assist in administration on reception.

I have learnt many new skills specific to Dentistry. For example, I have learnt the names of each part of a tooth and how to chart treatments on patient records. I have learnt how to aspirate and which instruments are required for each procedure. General skills which I have developed include communication, team work and confidence.

I enjoy the practical side of my programme very much. Although I find my course interesting, I do not always feel as supported with assessments as my Assessor does not always explain what is expected of me clearly. Hopefully, this will improve as I get further into the course. I love meeting new people everyday and working in a friendly and motivated team.

The training provider has clear learning objectives for each unit, which I can easily access on smart Assessor. However, they do not always keep in regular contact and I do not feel confident that they have sent me all of the required work, as I sometimes go for long periods with little contact. On the other hand, the work that I have received so far is extremely informative and engaging.

My employer is very helpful with any questions I have about my role. They have assigned me a mentor, who ensures I feel confident in my role and checks that I am happy and involved with the team. My employer ensured that I knew all of the safety procedures and how to deal with injuries and complaints.

I feel like I could be more supported by my training provider. I have often gone long periods of time with no contact from my training provider and they have not always answered emails when I had a query regarding my work or the course. However, on online lectures, the lecturer does check that we all understand the objectives and engages us with the programme.

The work set furthers my understanding of why certain procedures are in place in the workplace. It gives me the confidence to perform my role and to query something if it does not match with what I have been taught. I have developed my understanding of dental procedures, which allows me to be more efficient during appointments.

At the moment, there are no extra-curricular activities taking place at my place of work. However, I believe that this is due to Covid 19 and hopefully, there will be some social events taking place when the restrictions allow it. For example, going for a coffee or a group walk after work.

Yes

It is very well organised and there is a strong sense of inclusion and team work. Every member of the dental team is valued and respected, regardless of role. There are excellent procedures in place to protect you and your colleagues and everyone around you is proud of what they do and highly motivated to do their job well.

I would recommend researching the different areas within the NHS as there are many interesting job roles that not everyone knows about. As there are so many different areas, there is something for everyone so do something that you love. Make sure you can work well in a team and know how to work well under pressure. You should enjoy meeting new people and learning new things, as you are constantly training and keeping your qualifications up to date.