Dental nurse

Dental nurses look after people and make them comfortable when they visit the dentist. You’d assist the dentist as they give treatments and help with other aspects of patient care.

Your patients might be there for a simple check-up or having advanced specialist treatment.

You’d need to be calm and reassuring to help patients who are nervous relax. You’d try to make sure they're comfortable at all times.

What you might do:

• tidy, sterilise and prepare the dental surgery

• sterilise instruments

• pass instruments to the dentist, therapist or hygienist

• remove water and saliva from the patient’s mouth during treatment

• prepare materials, for example, to make fillings

• help the dentist record information about each patient

• check the stocks of dental materials

Some dental practices offer facial aesthetics work, also known as anti-wrinkle treatments. These are non surgical cosmetic treatments, for example Botox injections or lip fillers. A trained medical practitioner, such as a dentist, would carry these out and you could assist them in this work.

At a general dental practice, you may also help at the reception area, especially during busy periods.

This would involve booking appointments, taking payments for treatment, and greeting patients.

You could work for the National Health Service (NHS) or in the private sector. You can see more about this role in the National Health Service on the dental nurse page on the NHS Scotland Careers website.

• General Dental Council – the regulatory body for the dental profession

• NHS Education for Scotland – training for the healthcare workforce including higher education and professional development

• The British Association of Dental Nurses – the recognised professional association for dental nurses

• National Examining Board for Dental Nurses